


Red Lipstick Woes

by InBetweens



Category: Supergirl (TV 2015)
Genre: F/F, supercat
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-10
Updated: 2016-12-26
Packaged: 2018-06-07 16:49:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 44,222
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6814099
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/InBetweens/pseuds/InBetweens
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lois Lane decides to play a little game with her nemesis, Cat Grant. Her harmless prank does more than she originally plans. Soon things are out of everyone's control and they all have to face the consequences. [Six months after season finale]</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Title** : Red Lipstick Woes  
**Author:** InBetweens  
**Rating** : T  
**Couple** : Cat Grant/Kara Danvers  
**Characters** : Cat Grant, Kara Danvers, Lois Lane, Carter Grant, Original Character(s)  
**Plot** : Lois Lane decides to play a little game with her nemesis, Cat Grant. Her harmless prank does more than she originally plans. Soon things are out of everyone's control and they all have to face the consequences.

* * *

 

 

**Part One**

Cat hated being woken up early on a Sunday. Sunday was the only day of the week that she allowed herself to sleep in. Carter was old enough now that she could safely enjoy two extra hours of rest while he watched TV, played video games, or researched his newest fad. It wasn't much to ask to be left alone for two measly hours on a Sunday, was it?

Cat spent her life being the early bird, waking up at the crack of dawn to be the first one up, the first one at an event, the first reporter to get the scoop, the first one in the office to prepare things for her bosses. Now she was the boss. Now, she had other people come in early so she didn't have to. She had a weekend staff. They were capable human beings, or at least they pretended to be.

So, why on this green earth, was her phone ringing at 7am on a Sunday?

Growling as she rolled over to answer the incessantly buzzing device, she hoped—and then regretted it—that someone had died or a disaster had struck.

"What!"

"Kitty Cat!"

Cat sat up abruptly in bed, the blankets falling to bunch up at her waist. "Lane…" Her eyes narrowed as if she could make Lois 'feel' the glare she was sending her 3 thousand miles away.

"Is that anyway to answer the…"

Cat clicked the end button and missed having the ability to slam a cordless or handset down into the cradle, the smash of plastic a satisfying sound when your body was taught with tension.

The phone in her hand began to buzz all over again, The Devil's Mistress flashed across the screen, because Lois didn't deserve to have her name anywhere within Cat's phone. She declined the call and put the encased phone upon the side table. It made a groaning noise, the same groaning noise that had woken her in the first place. The only time the phone would actually ring was if Carter, Adam, or Kara called it. Otherwise it was on Do Not Disturb. The call stopped and Cat sighed, lying back down slowly. Before her head even hit the pillow the phone groaned like a whale. She shot up and grabbed it off the table. She put it inside the side table's drawer. Cat couldn't even attempt to lie back down as the noise only grew louder, sounding like a school of whales.

Throwing the drawer open with more force than needed Cat squeezed the infernal device tightly, wishing it were Lois' neck.

Taking several deep, calming, breaths Cat swiped her thumb to the side and accepted the call.

"Speak. Quickly." Cat forced herself to smile, fake and sweetly, and full of malice.

"Kitty Cat, are you alright?"

"I'm…"

"Did you drop your phone in shock?"

"No. I merely hung up on your insufferable…" Lois gasped cutting off the rest of Cat's insult. Cat grit her teeth, "What. Do. You. Want."

"Is that anyway to treat your oldest friend? Hanging up on her when she's calling to see if you received the present she sent you."

Cat's eyes widened, "Present?"

Cat pressed the mute button as she threw off her blankets and raced to her bedroom door. She held the phone against her shoulder as she grabbed her robe and tied it haphazardly. Throwing the door open she didn't even cringe at the loud crack of the knob banging into the wall.

One might think she was excited to get her present but those people did not know her and they certainly did not understand her relationship with Lois Lane. Most of the time Cat didn't understand her relationship with Lois Lane.

The last time Lois had sent her a present it had been of the sex toy variety and Carter had opened the package. Cat shivered, it had scarred them both, and he had never opened a package with her name on it again.

Racing out into the foyer of her beach side house she passed the living room where Carter was snuggled up on his bean bag chair with a book. She only slowed long enough to make sure he was okay before running towards the front of the house. She saw a package sitting on the small end table. It was no bigger than a 4"x4" cube. But it had been left on the side table, most likely by the security guard that had signed for it.

Cat brought the phone back up to her ear and unmuted it. Lois' laughter sputtered out from the small speakers.

"I take it you found it?"

Cat examined the small box closely, spinning it slowly to see if there were any identifiable logos on the box. She came up empty. It was just a plain cardboard box.

"What's the occasion?" Cat smirked, "You wouldn't be sending me a gift to celebrate your divorce from that farm boy would you?"

"The two divorces between us are yours." Lois stressed.

Cat cringed, Lois only ever struck out like that when Cat brought Clark into it.

Cat pinched the bridge of her nose. "Lois, my son is in the next room. What's in the box?"

"Just open it and find out."

Cat hesitated. Lois seemed to realize that and appeased her. "It's nothing that will scar Carter."

Cat pulled out the letter opener that she always left on the end table, as this was primarily where mail was left for her to retrieve.

"You on the other hand..."

Cat stopped what she was doing and glanced sideways at the phone pressed against her cheek. Lois' laughter bubbled through the phone.

"I'm kidding scardey Cat."

People wondered why she didn't tolerate Cat jokes. The woman on the other end of this phone line, along with half the staff at the Daily Planet and from her middle and high school were why. She hoped they all enjoyed knowing the girl they'd picked on had more money and power than they could ever hope to have.

"Open the damn thing would you?"

"Why, Lois, financial trouble? I hear long distance calls are expensive these days."

Cat knew Lois rolled her eyes, but at least she remained quiet.

Cutting away the tape Cat opened the box and found a small crystalized vial of soft red lipstick. Cat couldn't help the small gasp of surprise. It was...gorgeous.

She could practically feel Lois' smirk coming through the phone. "It's expensive. So don't throw it out. It activates a deeper shade when warmed by body heat."

"What brand is this; I don't recognize it." Cat picked up the cylinder vial, truly impressed with the shinning quarts like crystal, she'd never seen this mineral before.

It felt like quarts but the texture was off, and it reflected her eyes like it were glass, but the jagged edges weren't sharp or dull, they just were. The vial was designed almost like a sword or a polar ice cap with the crystals jutting out to the left and right, the bottom was a deep golden spiel with a see-through container encasing the red lipstick within.

"It's exclusive. You'll be the only one with it for months. The product hasn't even hit the market yet." Lois went quiet for a moment as she sighed, "I may have had to drop your name during an interview and they were so thrilled that he insisted I send you this as a thank you."

"So, this is a bribe to…what? Put Ad space in my magazine or periodical for this no-name brand?"

"No. It's for you. I thought about keeping it. But it just isn't my color and besides. When I say I'll do something. I do it."

Even Cat knew that Lois was an honorable person and would do as she said if it was within her power to do so.

"Besides, it's perfect timing. Your anniversary is right around the corner."

Cat rolled her eyes, 'anniversary'. It was Supergirl's anniversary, and CatCo as the company that had named her, was throwing another gala in honor of all she had done for National City in the last twelve months. Lois was constantly picking at her, always poking her in the ribs about Supergirl and Cat needing to have her own caped crusader under her thumb. Cat did her best to ignore it. What else was there for her to do?

"Don't roll your eyes at me, Kit-Cat. You owe me one for that Granger interview."

The tension was back and she was beginning to get a headache. "And after this we're square on that?"

"Maybe."

"Lane…"

"Fine. Fine. We'll be square on that."

Cat smiled, it would be one debt off her shoulders. "What exactly are your terms?"

"Wear the lipstick for the next week. Including the Supergirl Banquet CatCo is hosting."

That, was easy. Too easy. "Why don't I trust you?"

"Because you know me."

"Yes, I do. What are you playing at?"

"Nothing nefarious, if that's what you're thinking. And nothing that will hurt you or anyone close to you."

"And all I have to do is wear this lipstick…for a week, including the Supergirl Banquet and I'll no longer owe you for the Granger interview?"

"Yepp.." Lois popped the 'p'.

"Doh-."

"With proof of course!"

Cat's shoulders sagged, of course there was more. "What kind of proof?"

"A picture of you putting on the lipstick and wearing it later on in the day, sent to my phone, every day, for the next week."

Cat thought about it. "Fine."

"Fabulous!" Lois gushed. "Smell you later alley cat."

The line went dead.

Cat inspected the lipstick vial curiously for a moment before she shrugged her shoulders and went to start the day. Maybe waking up early on Sunday's wasn't a total waste after all.

**End Part One**

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am thrilled that so many people are interested in seeing what will become clearer as the story continues. I also took the liberty of putting an 'original' character in the pod from the season finale. Not THAT original to be honest. Just a guess and my take on the situation. I hope you enjoy the turn it takes in this chapter and the next.

 

 

 

* * *

**Part Two**

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cat inspected herself in the mirrors image. Her hair was perfect. Outfit, to die for. Tipping her sunglasses low enough to stare at the inverted reflection without the tint, her eyes focused on the lipstick spread across her lips.

For all the trouble Lois had gone through to make her wear this silly make up she at least thought it would look...nicer.

Shrugging, a deal was a deal. After four years her conscience could be clear of asking Lois' help to get the Granger interview. It was something Lois would miss being able to hold over her head, and that almost made this worth it. Except in the back of her head she knew that there was more to this request that met the eye. She just couldn't figure out what it was.

Pushing her glasses back up Cat rolled her shoulders and counted to ten. At nine the elevator stopped its ascent. On ten the doors began to open. Striding out of the elevator she made a bee-line for her office, Kara's replacement stood waiting with a hot cup of coffee.

Cat had to admit that the first seven tries to find replacements had been disasters. Kara, the ever dutiful employee, had just sighed each time Cat found something lacking in the man or woman Kara found to replace her. More often than not for the first three months of Kara's promotion she was still found seated at her old desk covering for the assistant Cat had fired the hour or day before.

There had been a revolving door of assistants the first four months. This new one seemed to be working out well, he'd at least been here for nearly five weeks. Cat had originally balked at the idea of a male assistant, thinking Kara had to be out of her mind. She'd tried to fire Steve-his name was Stephan-the first week he was here.

-.-.-

 

Kara had appeared in her office, pushing the CLOSED doors open, and told Stephan to get the copies Cat needed from the printers. Stephan had jumped up and raced out of the room, closing the door behind him well aware that he had been about to be fired.

Cat looked into Kara's eyes and saw her anger, her frustration, and just how tired the girl was. It was no secret around the office that Kara had recently been put in charge of a young child, a blood related cousin of some sort, who she'd just learned about being orphaned and had taken in. Whatever relationship she was having with James had ended though it appeared amicably as they were often times seen together sharing smiles and laughs still.

Cat would never admit it but she had been willing to let one of them go if they prove her wrong and couldn't be adults about their break up. She'd nearly fired Winterfell boy when he's been giving Kara the cold shoulder-she'd had no cause as he was doing his work-but he was making Kara frown and that was unacceptable. Sunny Danvers was her nickname for a reason, and anyone who made her frown and become Gloomy Danvers was a target on their back. She was the only one who could make Kara frown and even then she felt it in her gut every time she did.

Kara said nothing. She crossed her arms over her chest, leaned slightly backwards and might as well have been tapping her foot. Cat would never tell Kara this, but the position made her look strikingly like her alter ego.

"I can fire him if I want to!" Cat protested, surprised that she spoke first.

Kara still said nothing. She just raised an eyebrow. They'd had this conversation before. Cat would fire the new assistant, Kara would come and ask why and Cat would lost reasons, usually inane reasons, that she got rid of them. Kara would scribble notes into her notepad and as she did Cat would insult Kiera for her lack of judgement in hiring the person in the first place. Kara would take each insult, stone faced and ready to just get to work. When Cat finished her tirade and requirements for a new assistant Kara would ask Cat what she needed done for the rest of the day because obviously Kara would have to take over for the terminated assistant until she could get a Temp or a new candidate. Which usually took a day or two.

"He got me chi tea instead of coffee!"

"You asked for chi tea."

"What I asked for isn't the point, Kiera..."

Kara's eyes flinched, it was the only outward sign that she didn't enjoy hearing her previous title grace Cat's lips again. It must have been like hearing your full name-middle name included-grave a parent's lips as you were being reprimanded.

"You can't fire him for getting you what you asked for."

"He should know..."

"How is he supposed to know that when you say chi tea you mean mocca coffee?!" Kara raised her voice a fraction. "He hasn't been here long enough to know that...yet."

"See! You know. Why shouldn't I expect him to know?"

"Because he's only been here for five days I've been here for three years."

"It doesn't matter. I don't have to justify myself to you or..."

"I'm leaving!"

Cat's mouth hung half open but no sound escaped. She blinked. "Ex-excuse me...?"

Kara fiddled with her glasses. "Family Leave. I'm taking it. After the Supergirl Banquet."

Cat leaned back in her chair, unwilling to admit how relieved she was that Kara was only temporarily leaving. "You do not qualify for..."

"I do. You know I do." Kara's eyes flashed with outrage and Cat didn't question her further on the validity of her statement. Kara did of course qualify. She had, five months ago when she learned of the cousin she'd accepted guardianship for. She had just been dealing with legal issues on the adoption. As far as Cat knew, the child was with Kara now, and had been for the last two or three weeks, permanently. "I put in the notice paperwork five months ago. I qualify. I've taken a child into my home."

"I do not see how this temporary leave means I cannot fire Steve."

Kara wanted to roll her eyes, because of course Cat didn't see why that meant she couldn't fire Stephan, "He is good. Very good. You just have to give him a chance and actually tell him what you want. He'll learn. Like I did. But he needs to stay. I don't have time to train someone else. And I don't have to. He's good." Kara stressed.

"As you've said…" Cat drawled, unimpressed.

Cat put the tip of her glasses against her lips as she looked at Kara. Contemplating.

"Please, Miss Grant." Kara's eyes widened and she looked desperate. " _Please_. Just give him another week. You'll see."

Cat caved, how could she not? "Two days. If he doesn't prove himself in that time I reserve the right to fire him."

Kara eagerly nodded, "You won't be disappointed." Kara turned to leave but stopped at the sound of her name.

"Kara...are you...is there anything you..." Cat sighed finding it very difficult to ask if there was something she could do for Kara during this obviously difficult time.

"Thank you," Kara's voice caught. "Miss Grant." It meant the world that Moss Grant would even ask. "I'll be fine."

But she wasn't fine and they both knew it.

-.-.-.-

 

Kara had been right, about Steve, but she wasn't fine. She was tired.

In the last three weeks Cat saw her friends rallying around her often but even they couldn't get the girl to talk. Her smiles were slow to form or forced and there were circles under her eyes that got darker and darker as the days passed.

Cat shook away the memory. There were more pressing matters to attend to. She could think of how to help Kara later. With Steve following her Cat listed off her to do.

"Call an art department meeting. We need to go over the spread for the Supergirl Anniversary issue. Also, schedule an editorial meeting right after the art department. Then, at 4pm this evening I want a department head meeting." Cat took a sip of her coffee and hid a smile at how hot it was.

"Yes, Miss Grant." Cat rounded her desk and saw Steve already getting to Kara's...his...desk.

Kara had been right. Steve was good.

Today was shaping up to be a great day.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Today was a terrible, awful, disappointing sham of a day. The only saving grace about today was seeing Kara three times. Once for the art department meeting, second for the editorial staff meeting and then again at the department head meetings.

Kara had created a rather interesting job title for herself. A brilliant one to be fair. So brilliant that Cat had been forced to give the young girl her own staff and a raise that she'd originally mentioned wouldn't be a part of the deal-though there had been a 15% raise. Granted it was only two employees but the new 'department' ran the smoothest of almost the entire company. They always met their deadlines, Cat never had to tell them to redo their work, their first submissions were excellent. Cat knew of course, like the rest of the staff, that the reason Cat never had to tell Kara's department to redo their work was because Kara told them to redo it herself until it was 'Danvers Approved' (or so she'd heard people muttering as she walked by the break room). It was a proud moment for Cat to realize her protégé was doing so well.

Kara's secondary raise of 15% put her in a new tax bracket. It also allowed for spending money during the tempestuous time. She deserved it and proved her worth beyond a shadow of a doubt to the other department heads. Kara was shining professionally. Even if personally she was floundering.

Cat took off her glasses and leaned back from her desk. She needed...

"Advil Miss Grant." Cat felt a smile try and form on her lips at the sound of Kara's voice.

"You're not a five foot ten male."

Kara smiled, a genuine smile, (the fact that there were now rare gems caused a pain in Cat's chest) as Cat took the small pill cup from Kara's hand.

"Where is Steve?"

"Gone for the day, Miss Grant." Cat raised her eyebrows curiously as she looked around Kara to see most of the outside cubicles were empty. "It's nearly six." Kara clarified.

"And what are you still doing here so late?" _When you have a child at home,_ went unsaid.

"Finished up the reports that you asked for."

"That I said were due tomorrow morning." Cat stressed, wanting Kara to know she hadn't needed to stay so late.

Kara bit her bottom lip and suddenly looked nervous, "I'm going to be late tomorrow morning. So I wanted to make sure you got these now." Kara offered the folder to her, placing it unobtrusively on her desk to the left.

Cat wasn't Kara's direct supervisor, that was the executive director of media planning so she didn't have to approve Kara's time any longer, but she thought it strange that the girl would be taking time off so shortly before her family leave.

"Is everything alright?" Cat was surprised she could actually ask the question and without hesitating either. It just came out like it was natural for her to inquire about Kara's state of being.

Kara seemed equally surprised. In the last few months they'd made great strides towards...something between a friendship and a professional acquaintance outside the realm of boss/employee.

Kara appeared to be about to answer her when movement at the door caught Cat's attention. "Kara...?" The voice caught Kara's attention and her eyes widened.

"Kalven..."

Kalven, so this was young Kalven Lang. He looked, he looked _strikingly_ like Kara: blonde hair, blue eyes, the same cheek bones and nose. If Cat didn't know any better she would think Kalven was Kara's son. He couldn't be more than 8 or 9 years old.

He was dressed comfortably in sneakers, sweater and shorts. He was rubbing his eyes and truly appeared to be just waking up from sleeping. "You were gone." He frowned and his bottom lip trembled.

Kara was at his side in a moment. She kneeled in front of him and brushed some of his hair behind his ear. "I'm sorry buddy. I just needed to drop off some papers. Are you okay? How are your ears?" Kara whispered so softly Cat had to strain to hear her.

"Okay...it's loud again." He whined, but instead of grating on Cat's nerves it endeared her to the small boy. He was scratching at something by his ear. Cat wondered if it was a cochlear implant.

"You remember what we practiced?" Kalven nodded his head. "Good. Now where are your glasses?"

Kalven frowned and touched the bridge of his nose as if he expected to find them there. When he didn't feel them he looked worried, scared even. "It's alright..." Kara soothed, "…we'll find them. They're probably still in my office. Here, why don't we go check?"

He yawned, "Okay..."

Kara stood up from where she'd been kneeling and offered her hand to Kalven. He took the offered hand slowly, his eyes focused on the ground as he turned to leave with Kara.

"Miss Grant, I..."

Cat waved her off, "Do stop by before you leave."

Kara seemed nervous at the request but nodded her acceptance.

Cat took the few minutes she had to finish up her email. She also shot a quick text message to Angela, Carter's nanny. She received the answer she was hoping for a moment later. Smiling, Cat hoped she could convince Kara of her sudden plan.

Cat was just grabbing her bag when Kara and Kalven reappeared, this time the young man was wearing the same type of rimmed glasses as Kara, except his were a bit bigger.

Kalven was staring at his shoes, his foot tilted up as he shuffled nervously, glancing through his eye lashes at Cat trying not to get caught looking at her.

Cat didn't know what to feel when she looked at this young boy who reminded her so much of Kara.

Kara squeezed Kalven's hand, prompting him to do something.

It took a few seconds but it became clear Kara was trying to instigate Kalven introducing himself. "Hi..." Kalven whispered barely able to look up and look into Cat's eyes.

"Well hello, you must be Kalven." The boy seemed surprised that she knew his name. He looked up, eyes wide as he now glanced even more nervously at Kara. Kara's smiled calmed his nerves, so he turned back to Cat and nodded his affirmation, "I've heard so much about you from your cousin. She speaks very highly of you." Cat took slow, cautious steps forward, noting how Kalven stepped back at her approach, skittish.

Once Cat was in front of Kalven she took a knee, similar to how Kara had, "I'm Cat Grant. I work with Kara."

"You're the boss." Kalven tilted his head up to look at Kara to make sure he'd said the right thing.

"I am. Yes."

"Kara likes you." Kalven whispered as he met Cat's eyes. "She says you're nice and good. Honorable and trustworthy. Aunt Alex disagrees. She thinks you're..."

Kara quickly put her hand on Kalven's shoulder and her fingers closed tightly on it, as she barked out a rough and loud laugh, her cheeks pink. "Kalven, Kalven, remember how we talked about repeating things people say without their permission?"

Kalven sighed, bowed his head, but nodded, "Yes..."

"Do you think aunt Alex would be okay with you sharing what she said to me in confidence?"

Kalven pouted, "No..."

"So what should you do?"

"Say I'm sorry and not tell people what others say that I'm not supposed to hear." He recited. "But Kara..." The way Kalven said Kara's name this time was...different. There was a distinct inflection that usually wasn't there, an accent in the boy's words that made it suddenly clear English was not his first language.

"No buts..." Kara shook her head at him and his shoulders sagged heavily.

"Fine." He continued to pout.

Kara ran her hand through his hair and he pulled away for a moment before swaying back towards Kara to lean his shoulder against her.

Cat watched the interaction from where she remained upon the floor. "It's good advice. It will help you as you get older."

"I do not understand human-American values." Kalven truly looked confused and besotted with the cultural differences he was experiencing.

"Well, why don't you and Kara join me and my son for dinner this evening. Carter and I can help Kara answer any questions you have about American values."

"You have a child?" Kalven asked, Cat beginning to notice his accent and stunted English the more he spoke.

"I do; he is a bit older than you by three or so years. I think you will get along fine with him though."

Kara wasn't as thrilled with the idea as Cat was. She mimicked Kalven's actions and shuffled her weight. "Miss Grant I don't know if that's the best..."

"Nonsense, Kara. I'm sure the both of you are starving."

It was true. Kara wasn't eating as much as she used to while Cat's assistant. The girl was losing mass. "We'd hate to impose ourselves..."

Cat continued to look up at Kara from her taken knee. "No imposition at all. There is plenty. Seven or eight servings at least. You and Kalven will be helping me ensure the fats don't ruin my figure."

Kalven seemed excited at the prospect of going to dinner. He was staring wide eyed and hopeful at Kara, a gap toothed smile spreading across his lips. He moved from one foot to the other but it was faster this time, there was a sudden energy about him that hadn't been while he was nervous.

Kara chewed on her bottom lip as she looked down at excitement rolling off of Kalven in waves. "Alright...alright. But we can't stay long. Your first day is tomorrow."

Kalven's smile, which was already spread across his face practically split it in half with how genuinely happy he seemed.

Cat found the smile was contagious. Cat clapped her hands. "Do you need to collect anything?"

"No, I have our things." Kara twisted to the left a bit exaggeratedly to show the two bags she had resting over her shoulder.

"Then it's settled." Cat stood up a bit slower than she would have liked, but her knee locked.

Kara immediately offered her hand. Cat took it before she could think better of it. Her fingers closed around Kara's fingers and she pulled down on the offered hand a little more fore sculls than she meant to, but the girl didn't even budge. She stood her ground and didn't even flinch, the bags on her shoulders not even moving as Cat made it back up to her feet.

"Thank you."

Kara smiled softly, and bowed her head in acceptance of Cat's gratitude. Kalven greedily watched the exchange.

Cat wiped off her knee of the dust and dirt before righting her own bag. She then stepped to the side as the three of them made their way to the office doors. Kalven slipped his hand into Cat's as she walked, a step and a half ahead of the Danvers.

Cat didn't falter in her stride, though she did look down to the small warm hand that held onto her own, the young boy now holding one of Kara's hands and one of her own as he stood between them. Kara was in the midst of telling Kalven to let her hand go when Cat shook her head, and smiled softly at the shocked expression on Kara's beautiful countenance.

Whether Kara was shocked at Kalven's actions or Cat's acceptance of them, the CEO did not know.

The three stepped into the elevator and left the office behind them for the day. As the elevator doors closed in front of them Cat realized her red lipstick had faded a bit to a softer shade. She would make it a note to tell Lane the lipstick couldn't last a ten-hour work day.

Once outside, Cat's driver, Mike, held the door open for Kara and Kalven. Kara instructing Kalven to get in first while Mike took their bags. Kara thanked him before she turned to look at Cat.

Cat stepped towards the car before stopping short at Kara stepping in her path. "Is there something wrong?"

"I just wanted to say this before I lost my nerve. Thank you. For the invite. For how you're treating Kalven. For everything, Miss Grant. Just...thank you." Kara quickly leaned forward and pressed a barely there peck against Cat's left cheek.

Cat's eyes widened and she blinked in surprise, Kara was already sliding into the car leaving Cat to stand out on the curb in the night air, both cheeks flushed a soft pink. Shaking herself for her silly behavior Cat slipped into the car and gave Mike the directions. She found Kara realized her mistake in letting Kalven in the car first; it put Kara in the middle, pressed up intimately against Cat's left side.

The town car was a descent size but with all three of them piled in and Kalven sitting up on his knees to look out the window, there was very little extra space. Kalven stuck his forehead against the glass of the town car, obviously fascinated by what he saw outside. Kara's heartbeat picked up as she rubbed her hands against her knees before folding them awkwardly upon her lap to keep them still and away from Cat.

"Kara look!" Kalven exclaimed as he pointed at something he saw out the window. " ." Kalven rambled in what appeared to be his natural language. It was not French, nor Italian, Portuguese, or Russian, which was the extent of Cat's repertoire.

Kara looked frightened for a moment, and muttered something in the same language in response. Kalven looked at Kara and then at Cat and frowned, ducking his head low once again as he nodded, reluctantly accepting whatever it was Kara had said to him. His exuberance seemed to fade as he settled into his seat and looked chastised.

"You know, it's okay if he speaks another language. It's very interesting. Different than the Latin based languages I've studied." Cat didn't ask what language it was. She didn't want Kara to have to lie to her or feel pressured to make up a lie. "If he's more comfortable with that language, he can speak it in front of me."

Kara stared at Cat for what felt like an eternity. Cat was caught in the deep hue of her eyes. The beautiful azure seemed to be looking through her rather than at her. It was as if Kara's eyes could see into her very soul. It made Cat shiver, but it wasn't uncomfortable. Whatever truths Kara could find from just looking at her, were safe, there was never any question in Cat's mind that all of her secrets would be safe with Kara. She just wished Kara felt the same way.

Kara shook her head, as if suddenly realizing that she was staring. She dropped eye contact and looked at her hands, "I'm trying to help him learn English. It's hard to acclimate to American society when you do not know English. Although the country is diverse in nature, it is expected that you learn to speak English. I do not want the kids to have anything else to tease him about. Kids can be…mean."

Cat's heart ached in her chest to see how withdrawn Kara became as she spoke about the cruelty of kids. Cat knew just how ferocious children could be, both from her own experiences and having to watch Carter go through similar struggles.

"Well, he should feel comfortable speaking it when he is with friends and loved ones. It is a part of who he is, his heritage, his past, that should not forcefully be taken from him. And I'm sorry that you feel is must for him to fit in."

Cat gently placed her hand upon Kara's knee. The touch was meant to comfort the young woman, offer her the same reassurances that Cat felt when she thought about Kara knowing all of her secrets. She wanted Kara to know that she could be trusted, that she would never do anything to hurt her, or Kalven. That she could be a friend, a good friend, when needed. he only meant for the touch to be reassuring, comforting.

"Thank you." Kara whispered, her voice cracking as she fought back tears. Cat pretended not to notice Kara quickly wiping away the few tears that fell from her eyes. Instead she focused on Kalven and how he was staring at Cat like there was something peculiar about her. Maybe to the young boy she was peculiar. He seemed determined to figure out whatever equation he was trying to solve in his head. His face one of concentration until something clicked.

Then he smiled and nodded his head once, passing on his blessing, before he turned back to the window and watched as the world passed them by.

"What did he say?" Cat asked a few minutes later.

Kara laughed softly, fiddled with her glasses with one hand as the other came to rest atop Cat's hand, which still rested upon the young woman's knee. Cat was startled for a moment, not having realized her hand hadn't moved from where she'd placed it.

"He said the images look better than when he runs fast." Cat's brow creased in slight confusion, "He hasn't been in a car…in a very long time."

"Ah…" Cat looked at Kalven and pretended not to think about how odd it was that the young boy wouldn't have been in a car in a long time. How else was he supposed to be brought around?

"He isn't allergic to anything is he?" Cat asked, suddenly wondering if he had dietary restrictions.

"No, he's okay." Kara reassured with a bright smile, pleased that Cat would even ask.

"Good, that's good." Cat swallowed thickly as she felt Kara's thumb brush along the outside of her pinkey. She wondered if Kara even realized she was doing it, or if it was an unconscious action. The simple touch made her heart race beneath her chest and her temperature rise.

Kalven suddenly looked back into the car at Cat, specifically her chest as if he could hear her heartbeat, and it suddenly worried Cat that he might be able to, that Kara might be able to. Sucking in a deep breath Cat forced herself to calm down.

As she was attempting to reel her nerves in Kara whispered something to him, something Cat should be able to hear, but couldn't. With whatever Kara said the young boy went back to focusing out the window once more.

"I would like to make it home before next century, Mike." Cat said through the partition of the car.

"Yes, Ms. Grant." Mike smiled in the rearview mirror at Kara and Cat hmphed at the connection her assistant had with just about anyone she spoke to. Of course Kara had known Mike for three years, but it was almost sickening how she was so well liked. Almost.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cat had her hands submerged in sudsy water when Kara stepped up beside her carrying more plates.

"Can I help?" Kara scrapped the remaining scraps from Carter's plate into the garbage before standing beside Cat.

"No. There are only a few more. You can join the boys if you'd like?"

Kara looked towards Carter and Kalven. "I think I'll leave them to their game."

"Suit yourself."

Kara went to the table and picked up her wine glass before returning to stand next to Cat. "I'm surprised you don't have a washing machine."

Cat waited to continue speaking until Kara returned, "Oh, I do. I just prefer to wash the dishes by hand." Cat admitted, "It's…soothing for me I suppose. Allows me time to think."

Kara shook her head gently from side to side, a smile upon her lips, "You surprise me all the time. How do you do that?"

"I am a woman of mystery."

Kara laughed softly at the British accent Cat used.

Cat waited for Kara to calm before she looked at the young woman seriously. "There are millions of different things about a person to learn, small things as well as big. How they take their coffee, their favorite couple, which shoe they tie first, what time they wake up, which side of the bed they prefer. The list is endless. A person is endless, ever changing. What they think one year…month…day can be different than what they think the next."

Kara sipped from the wine glass, truly seeming to take Cat's words seriously. Their eyes met and Kara's hand sank down slowly as she looked at Cat as if she could see right through her again, except this time Cat matched that ability. The air between them seemed to ignite suddenly, the domesticity of their current situation not lost on them. Boundaries has been crossed this evening that both hoped wouldn't have to be backtracked over again. They both liked where they stood now. It was closer to friend than work acquaintance. Things had become personal between them, and it thrilled Cat. She was finally keeping her word; she was learning more about Kara as Kara learned more about her…outside of the office.

A squeal cut apart whatever current had been flowing between them. It startled Kara enough that she hopped up and nearly spilled her wine. Nearly.

Both women looked over to see Carter smiling and laughing as Kalven jumped up in down in triumph. Carter was trying to bring Kalven down from his excitement to show him the next steps in the game they were playing. Kalven stopped jumping and sat back down, Carter standing next to his chair, both boys leaned over and immersed in their own little world. Carter had been showing Kalven how to play a few games on his Nintendo 3DS. Kalven had never played on one before and Carter was horrified and yet excited that he could show Kalven.

Kalven seemed eager to learn and as Cat had suspected, they got along well. Carter was tactful enough to not comment on Kalven's accent or his trouble with English words in front of Kalven or Kara, he'd asked when Kara showed Kalven where the bathroom was to wash his hands before dinner. Cat was proud of Carter she was also proud of herself. She was being open and honest with Kara, she was showing her more of herself than she had showed anyone in years.

When both blondes turned away from the boys Kara blushed and put her wine glass down on the counter. "Thank you for dinner. But, it's getting late."

"Yes, as you mentioned, Kalven starts at his new school." Cat nodded, understanding the need to call an end to the evening so soon. She just needed to pretend that it didn't bother her that it had to come to an end so soon. "We should…uh…do this again." Cat posed, carefully, hopefully, suddenly as nervous as Kara appeared.

"For the boys…"

"Yes, and for us." Cat blinked, surprised she'd said that out loud, but she would not take the words back. They were the truth. "I think this was good for us as much as them."

Kara nodded, wholeheartedly seeming to agree. "Yes, it was, it was nice to have someone to talk to about all of this that can understand. My sister doesn't have kids, none of my friends have kids yet…I just…"

"You needed another parent…guardian to talk to. I understand. Well, I'm not the ideal candidate to emulate when it comes to motherhood…"

"You're a fantastic mom, Miss Grant! Anyone could see that." Kara vehemently reassured her.

"I'm never going to get you to call me Cat, am I?" Cat asked, bringing focus away from the compliment.

Kara blushed scarlet; Cat had requested Kara call her Cat while they were in her home, but Kara had seemingly refused, pointing out habit as the excuse for her inability to call her by her name.

"I'm sorry, Miss Grant." Kara sighed, still unable to bring herself to call Cat by her name. It just felt too personal and on top of everything that was happening tonight, it was too much.

Cat rolled her eyes, "Alright…lets go." Cat grabbed a towel off the rack and dried her hands as she led Kara towards Carter and Kalven, foreseeing whining in their immediate future.

"Alright, boys, time to pack it up for the evening. Carter…" Cat addressed her son, already seeing his eyes going wide and a pout forming. "Kalven starts his first day of school tomorrow. Him and Kara need to get home so they can rest before the big day." Cat stared pointedly at her son, hoping he would set the example for Kalven and not cause a scene or fuss about their time together ending. Though, if Cat were honest, Carter looked as sad as she felt with the end of the night taking place.

"Oh, alright." Carter tucked back in his lip, his shoulders were still sagged, but he set the proper example and looked at Kalven with sad eyes. "We can, we can do this again, right mom?" He asked suddenly, snapping his head back to his mom, worried that she might say no. Cat pretended not to notice both Kara and Kalven's ears perking up awaiting her answer.

"Yes, sweetheart. We will work out a time with Kara and Kalven's calendars."

"Awesome!" Carter grinned and looked back to Kalven as he stood up. "You can borrow my DS if you want. You can practice that way and then when you come back we can verse each other. Or play Settlers of Catan or on my PS4 or something…" Carter got nervous the longer he rambled on, not wanting to seem too excited about the possibility of Kalven coming back.

Kalven didn't know what Settlers of Catan was or a PS4 but he was looking forward to returning so he could play more games with Carter. He looked down at the game that Carter was allowing him to borrow and pressed it gently against his chest, holding it there, where he would keep it safe and treasure it. "Thank you. I will…keep it safe."

"Cool." Carter moved to stand next to his mom at that, his side pressed up against hers. He 'snuggled' into her when her hand went around him to rest on his shoulder. Kalven watched the exchange and jumped down from his seat and mimicked Carter's pose but against Kara.

He pouted as she ruffled his hair, but smiled as soon as she put her hand on his shoulder too.

"Thank you." Kalven smiled as he looked at Carter and then at the game in his hand.

"Yes, thank you, Carter," Kara nodded at Carter before looking at Cat, "Miss Grant."

"No problem, Kara!" Carter grinned happily.

"Yes, well, as he said. It was our pleasure."

"Yeah, we have to do it again soon!" Carter agreed, nodding his head excitedly.

Kara seemed less sure, but hid it well.

"Carter, why don't you finish drying the dishes while I walk our guests out?"

"Okay!" Carter raced away to do as he was asked. Cat knew he was hoping that if he didn't complain—not that he did that very often—about the task, Cat would make sure Kalven and Kara came back soon.

Cat led Kara and Kalven back to the front of the house. Once there, Cat opened the door and stepped up to Kara, stopping the young woman by placing her hand on her shoulder. "It was truly a pleasure having the both of you here. So, please, do not let that head of yours keep you from accepting my next invitation." Cat pointed directly at Kara's forehead, her smile making the lines around her eyes crinkle up just a bit.

Kara blushed, Cat having called her on her own internal thoughts.

"Okay...-Cat."

Cat gasped, softly, truly surprised that Kara had used her name. Leaning back she smirked, "And here I thought you were a slow learner."

Kara rolled her eyes, "Thank you for everything, _Miss Grant._ "

"Uhhh…" Cat groaned, making Kalven chuckle and that sparkle return to Kara's eyes.

"Mike is waiting downstairs for you."

"Oh, he didn't have to we could have…"

"Nonsense. Let him bring you home. It will make me feel better knowing you're both safe."

Cat admitted, unconcerned that she'd admitted to that concern.

"Well, since he's still here."

"Wonderful. Goodnight, Kara." Impulse took over. She couldn't resist. She just…Kara's blushing cheek called to her. So, Cat leaned forward and pressed her lips against Kara's cheek. The contact enough that her glossed lips stuck to the skin for a split second as she withdrew. It was not wet, and it was not rough, it was simply a kiss goodbye. For a moment Kara's eyes widened and she shivered, but she blinked away her surprise.

Kalven smiled and waved at Cat as he tugged on Kara's arm. "Alright, I'm…I'm coming."

Cat watched as Kara and Kalven walked down to the curb where Mike was waiting. Cat watched as Kara turned back to stare at her for a moment, confusion evident upon the young woman's face as she brought her hand up to touch her cheek. When Kara realized Cat was still watching she quickly faced forward and didn't look back, not even when she got in the car. Kalven, on the other hand, turned and waved. Cat waved back, and shook her head gently as she chuckled, closing the door behind her guests when the car pulled away.

"Do you think Kara will let Kalven come back and hang out with me?" Cat found Carter looking at her with such hope in his eyes.

"You like him, then?"

"He's nice. He's nervous and sweet, like Kara. He also is sad, but tries not to be. He, he gets confused, like me with things. For different reasons, but," Carter shrugged, "…it was nice. He's cool. I like him, and…kids can be mean. I hope they're not though. He's lost a lot."

Cat was still shocked by how intuitive her son could be. She took three large steps towards him and pulled him into a hug. "Well, then I'm glad that he'll have you as a friend in case they are." She leaned down and kissed the top of his head as he squired a bit in her arms.

"Me too." Carter grinned as Cat hugged him. "I finished the dishes."

Glancing at her wrist watch Cat realized they had an hour to kill before Carter's bedtime. "Time for bed in an hour. What would you like to do until then?"

"Can we maybe watch an episode of Agents of Shield?"

"Of course, why don't you bring that up while I lock up?"

"Okay!" Carter raced towards the living room while Cat went to the kitchen and turned off the lights, locked the patio doors, and closed the blinds.

As she sat in her living room with Carter resting his head against her shoulder as they watched their show she couldn't help but feel content.

Today was averaging out to be a great day after all.

**END PART TWO**


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lois gets a little...dirty. Through text. ;-)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am glad that most of you enjoyed the addition of Kalven. I hope that you'll enjoy him through the rest of the story as he pops up. This chapter is much shorter than the last, but Part Four should be about the same length as Part Two.

 

* * *

**Part Three**

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was nearly ten in the morning and Cat was busy working on a new layout that the art department had sent her. There were a few things…missing. Cat was just having a hard time figuring out what those things were.

Her inability to decide what she couldn't see, what she wanted to see in this layout, was driving her insane.

This morning she'd been preoccupied with thoughts of Kara and Kalven. Her mind replayed last evening. Over and over again, the impromptu kiss upon the cheek a particular area of study.

Cat didn't know why she had felt the need to kiss the young woman goodbye. It wasn't as if she had kissed her lips. Yet, as Cat lay in bed and recounted her day for any mistakes she might have to fix in the morning—a nightly routine—she found she did not regret crossing the boundary she had with that kiss. It wasn't inappropriate.

They were…friends.

Cat hoped, at least, that they were friends. She didn't really have friends. She had acquaintances and people who wanted something from her. Kara was not like any of those people.

The last friend Cat had was Carter's father. They were friends for years before they decided to get married. It just turned out that they were better friends than lovers. He was still a rock for her. John had remarried almost three years ago, and he was happy. Cat hated to admit it but she might even like his wife, she'd hired the woman after all.

John, the pain in the ass that he was, was constantly telling her that she needed to open up. She hated him for it, but most of the time he was right. It made fighting with him that much harder as the moral high ground was often in his favor.

He wanted what was best for her and she could appreciate that. She just didn't know how to go after what was really good for her. She could easily go after something that was wrong for her because there was no fear of being hurt. It was when feelings got involved that things always got messy.

Cat would openly admit-to herself-that she was lousy at expressing her affection to anyone that wasn't her son. She had walls and fears and she just didn't know what to say sometimes.

Cat sighed, wondering if what she had with Kara could become something like friendship, a close friendship. Kara already knew so much about her, sometimes more than Cat even realized, but there was still so much more for the young woman to know. Cat didn't have people she could invite over for game nights, or a night out on the town. She didn't do friends, because she really just didn't know how.

Cat had celebrities she could call and have dinner with, colleagues from years ago that she could catch up with over drinks, but she wasn't like Kara. She wasn't well liked; she wasn't easy to get along with. Cat struck first because that's how she kept herself from getting hurt. It was how she'd always protected herself. And she'd learned it at a young age (and a therapist made thousands off of her because of how young she'd learned this particular trait.)

Yet, Cat wanted to be open, she wanted to show Kara the affectionate friend she could be; a woman who could care and be involved and animated and even a little nerdy. She wanted to be a woman that kissed friends goodbye and touched their arm as they passed each other, and smiled at someone for no reason other than seeing them; she wanted to be real with Kara. She wanted Kara to know the real her.

And it scared her. Scared wasn't the right word. Terrified was closer. She was so shaken by the idea of being real with Kara that she'd contemplated closing herself off again, but as she walked into the office this morning, she couldn't bring herself to do it. She couldn't shut Kara out. Not when she thought about all that they could be, all they could have together, all that they both needed from each other.

It was starting to become evident that they were a symbiotic partnership. They would sink or swim, but they would do so together.

It was nearly ten thirty when Cat gave up on looking over the layout. She just couldn't find what was wrong. She needed another pair of eyes.

"Steve…." Cat's voice filtered out to her new assistant and he was rounding the desk as quickly as Kara would have. Once he stood with a pad and pen she started listing things she needed for him to do. First, was get her a new—hot—latte and the last on her list was for Steve to deliver the layout to Kara with instructions for Kara to find what was missing and fix it.

Steve took the layout and was off on his missions without looking back. Cat shook her head, she hated when she had to admit defeat, and the young man was as good as Kara assured her he was. He was a fast learner and got things done. It was almost disappointing that she couldn't fire him, if she did then she could see Kara more on a daily basis in those tight shirts and flowing skirts.

Cat felt her cheeks flush…what was wrong with her!?

An obnoxious grating sound sounded from her left. Cat looked down at her cellphone as the screen lit up. She rolled her eyes as she read the message ribbon that popped up.

 **The Devil's Mistress** : _Where is my proof?_

Picking up the device she fiddled with the options, took a dreaded selfie, she hadn't forgotten the deal, the lipstick was in place, she'd just been too busy to send any proof this morning. Cat sent the picture and waited for it to load before she added a comment.

 **Cat:** I hope you're happy with yourself for pulling me away from important business.

 **The Devil's Mistress:** _I'm not important things? I'm hurt… Lol_

 **Cat:** _These better be deleted after you're satisfied I kept my end of the deal. One hack is enough for a lifetime._

 **The Devil's Mistress:** _Aww…but I was going to add these to my Kitty Cat shrine that I keep in my closet. ;-)_

Cat found herself smirking.

"Your coffee, Miss Grant." Steve brought Cat the cup, feeling like he should not be anywhere near the media mogul, not with the way she was staring at her phone.

Cat took the offered container, not even glancing up at the young man.

Once Stephan gave Cat the cup he hightailed it out of the office to finish the rest of his To-Do list. Trying very hard to un-see the i-message he'd accidentally been able to read upside down.

 **Cat:** _Somehow I always suspected your animosity was covered up sexual attraction._

 **The Devil's Mistress:** _Lmfao…oh please. You wish I'd pet your p* &$_

Cat rolled her eyes at the vulgarity staring up at her from her phone. Her fingers typed on their own accord.

 **Cat** : _With your unskilled hand or tongue? Never._

 **The Devil's Mistress** : _Who says they're unskilled?_

Cat went to type but her phone buzzed again. And again. And again. And again.

 **The Devil's Mistress** : _Wait!_

**The Devil's Mistress:** _Are you saying you'd want me to touch you if you knew I was skilled?_

**The Devil's Mistress:** _Oh my god…you would wouldn't you!_

**The Devil's Mistress:** _;'D ;'D ;'D_

**Cat:** _You wish, Lane. You're so far from my type you'd need to wait till the end of the world before I even considered letting you anywhere near me._

 **The Devil's Mistress:** _Nope. I don't buy it. You so want my tongue…_

Cat groaned out loud.

 **Cat:** _You're delusional and insufferable._

 **The Devil's Mistress** : _Aww…Kitty Cat. I didn't mean to insult your prudish lifestyle. Does talking about tongues make you uncomfortable? What about fingers?_

**The Devil's Mistress** _: I'm very skilled with those. You sure you don't want to find out how skilled?_

**Cat** : _You're not my type. and I am not going to waste anymore of my precious time listening to you prattle on about your own fantasies._

 **The Devil's Mistress** : _Come..._

 **The Devil's Mistress** : … _back to me…_

 **The Devil's Mistress** : … _again…_

 **The Devil's Mistress** : … _for me._

 **The Devil's Mistress** : _;-)_

Cat ignored the texts as they came, and there were several more. She refused to dignify them with an answer, instead she went back to work. She had an empire to rule over. Let Lane have her fantasies.

Cat already had her own and they did not involve a married middle aged brunette as the co-star they held the imagined image of a young, peppy, kind, strong young blonde with sun-tanned skin.

Cat spit out her coffee as the thought passed her mind. An image of long wavy blonde hair and a sun-tanned neck arching due to red-covered lips played out slowly through her minds eyes. The slow intake of breath, the twist and sudden curve of the neck as a delicate chin turned to the side, allowing for unfettered access. The imagined sound of a moan escaping parted lips at the sudden forceful taste the red lips claimed. However long or forceful the lips—her lips—were, no marks were left on the taught skin. Strong hands weaved their way into her short coiffed blonde hair, the fingers flexing as they curled in and scratched her scalp with the slightest tug at the roots that felt incredibly delicious.

Cat moaned. In the fantasy and in reality.

With wide, horrifying eyes Cat pushed away from her desk, her chair rolling two feet from it so she had space, air, she needed space and air and—god how hot was it in here? Cat took in several deep cleansing breaths and forced the images away. Shooing them like they were strays and her mental weapon was a broom (and she was stuck in a vintage 1950s home maker movie).

When she finally felt a little more…centered…Cat slid back in towards her desk. She fiddled with some papers and grabbed her pen to try and get back to work. Her fingers brushed the edge of the latte Steve had dropped off for her.

Cat looked down at the coffee as if it were the culprit for her sexual, objectifying, and unprofessional thoughts.

Unwilling to let those thoughts consume her once again she pushed the coffee as far away from her as possible, even while she internally admitted it wasn't the coffee that made that thought remain rooted in the forefront of her mind for the rest of the morning.

No, that, she did all on her own.

 **The Devil's Mistress** : _Naughty Kitty._

Lane had no idea how right she was.

**End Part Three**


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Cat and Kara hash some important things out after an unexpected visitor arrives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm happy to see that the length didn't bother many people. My style is usually a little different (chapters longer), but for this story I've enjoyed having shorter chapters. I cut this part in half so I will be posting the 'second half', now Part Five, Friday evening or Saturday morning. I hope you'll enjoy the new addition with this chapter. And a character that is not original, but borrowed from another Comic. :-D

 

* * *

**Part Four**

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Kara, there are several things about what you submitted that I need to disc…" Cat was busy looking down at the papers in her hand, she hadn't bothered to look up until she was inside Kara's office. She'd heard from Stevie that Kara had returned to the office an hour ago. Cat had waited what she felt was a professional amount of time before she picked up Kara's submissions and stalked towards the young woman's office.

"Miss Grant!" Kara was nervous and she stood up faster than her guest did. Her outfit was a bit form fitting, lovely, and hugged her in all the right places.

Cat didn't expect to see someone sitting across from Kara. Nor did she expect to find Diana Prince slowly standing from that same seat. The woman was tall, striking, muscular. She seemed to also be close with Kara as the two women stood awfully close to each other. Kara hadn't even been sitting on the proper side of her desk, she'd been in the seat next to Diana. The young woman also had been holding her hand. She'd seen them drop each other's grasp when she'd looked up.

That couldn't be. Kara was far too young to be in the company of Diana. Cat was the Queen of all Media for a reason. She knew all the movers and shakers of this town and any other. Whether they liked the limelight or schucked it to the side.

For several years before Cat had left Metropolis Diana Prince was in the news almost as often as Bruce Wayne. The woman had to be a few years older than Cat herself, though if she were being honest, age had only affected one of them. Diana was also as recluse as Bruce Wayne. How in the world could Sunny Danvers know her? And on the personal level that their hand holding prelude to.

Cat's mind was working through the pieces she had, and there weren't that many to go off of, as she attempted to buy time with Diana, time she'd coveted for 15 years.

"Kara…" Cat drawled slowly, "I didn't expect you to have company." Cat stuffed the folder under her arm as she stepped forward and extended her hand. "Cat Grant."

"Impromptu visit." Diana answered for Kara, who seemed to be tongue tied. "Diana Prince." Diana shook Cat's offered hand. Cat tried not to grimace at the tight grip. "Pleasure to finally meet you, Ms. Grant."

Cat smiled her most charming smile, "Please, call me Cat."

Diana smiled and inclined her head, "Cat. I was just leaving."

"Shame, I'd love to sit down and speak with you."

"Perhaps another time. I am running a bit late." Diana politely declined as she looked down at the wrist watch upon her arm.

"I'll hold you to that." Cat promised.

Diana shared a glance with Kara, and when Cat tried to meet Kara's eyes the young woman ducked her eyes away, the smiling upon her face faltering a bit.

"I am sure you will." Diana picked up her jacket from the back of the chair and folded it over her arm. "It was a pleasure meeting you Ms. Grant."

"Cat…" Cat tried again to get the woman to call her by her first name.

It was a way to make people more comfortable with her, to give them the illusion that they could be friends. That there didn't need to be barriers between them. It was something she'd learned a long time ago, when she was still working the beat on the streets in Metropolis. It was also something that she could do now because she had the respect for someone to call her Ms. Grant before they dared call her by her given name. Still, it irked her when she attempted to put people at ease and her attempts were thwarted. Especially with Diana Prince, a woman that Cat had been trying to get an interview with for nearly fifteen years.

"Kara talks very highly of you." Diana walked around Cat to the door. She turned and smiled kindly at Cat, but the softness in her eyes as she looked at Kara could not be faked. It set Cat's blood on fire.

"Kara…I will see you and Kalven this evening."

Diana spoke Kara's name with the same inflection that Kalven had. Cat's eyebrows wanted to find a way to reach her hairline. Perhaps her first instinct to suspect that Kara knew Ms. Prince on a personal level wasn't as crazy as she thought it was.

"I would be happy to take down your number so I can contact you to…reschedule that sit down. Off the record of course." Cat pressed. She hadn't gotten to where she was by being tactful, at least not all the time.

Diana smirked, "Kara has my number. She'll be able to contact me. Good day, Ms. Grant." Diana disappeared around the corner of the door.

Cat went to follow the woman, as she made it to the doorway the elevator doors located direction beside Kara's office were closing behind the statuesque woman.

"Damn…" Cat cursed under her breath.

"She has that effect on people."

Cat turned to stare at Kara, her eyes narrowed as she looked at the young woman. Kara was just taking a seat behind her desk. Forcing a smile, Cat closed the office door behind her as she took the same seat that Ms. Prince had vacated.

Cat crossed her arms over her chest and waited. Kara would break. She always had in the past.

Except this time Kara held her eyes head on, confident, sure, hell the young woman crossed her own arms and leaned back in her own chair.

It seemed Kara knew how to hold her own when she needed to.

Fine. Whatever. Cat could lose the battle if it meant she won the war, "You _know_ Diana Prince."

"Yes."

Cat grit her teeth, "How?"

"I met her while I interned at Themyscira Industries."

Cat knew Kara had worked at Themyscira Industries; interned with them while she was in college. Kara also interned at a west coast branch of Wayne Enterprises, and Queen Enterprises.

The day of Kara's interview Kara had mentioned there was nothing special about her, that she hadn't done anything worthwhile yet, but her resume had been—by far—the most impressive Cat had seen nearly three years ago, (and since).

It left a bitter taste in her mouth and an uncomfortable pit in her stomach to think Kara would leave CatCo for Themyscira Industries. After all, Themyscira Industries was where Kara's 'roots' were. If Kara were to leave CatCo it would be for a company she felt she owed, a company she had loyalty to. Or maybe it was just the CEO of another company Kara would leave Cat for. _**CatCo**_ for!

"Should I be worried?" Cat crossed her legs in front of her as she met Kara's stare. It wouldn't be the first time Cat had lost a protégé to competition, though she supposed it would be better to lose Kara to Themyscira Industries over Wayne or Queen Enterprises. At least with Themyscira Industries Cat knew it was not a Wayne or a Queen that would sink their fangs into Kara's delicate neck. Oliver and Bruce would never be good enough for Kara. They were two 40-year-old men who still paraded around like the pretty (petty) boys they'd been in their youth. They both had secrets, dark secrets Kara did not need to be privy too.

"No!" Kara gauffed at the insinuation. "Diana is…is a friend." Kara seemed to lose herself for a moment, staring off into space, her head tilted just to the side as if she could hear something Cat couldn't—which she could, but Cat pretended not to notice, just like she always did.

Cat felt that heat return to her blood at the pause in 'friend'.

Taking the file from under her arm Cat slapped it down on the table to grab Kara's attention. "How _lovely_ for you. Such friends in high places _Kiera_." Cat's voice dipped low, eyes hardening. "You may want to be careful who you're seen with." Cat warned as she opened the file, Kara's eyes on her, completely disregarding the (fake/cover) reason Cat had come into the office. "People might get the wrong idea."

The blood vessel above Kara's eye throbbed, "Who I see personally is no one's business."

Cat only cringed minimally at the usage of the word personally. "It will be, especially when that person is Diana Prince."

Kara's hands tightened into fists, "Who Diana is should have no bearing!"

"It _will_." Cat appeared to be bored as she folded her hands in her lap. "A young, pretty, upstart like yourself seen with an older accomplished woman, whose sexuality is often discussed in the tabloids? It could ruin a career or be a great way to get one started." Cat leaned back and stared at Kara curiously, "Don't you think?"

Kara blinked, staring at Cat as if she'd never seen her before. And maybe she hadn't. Cat had never been like this with Kara. Not even when they weren't friendly after Adam. Cat had threatened Kara's job before, she'd threatened her livelihood, but she'd never threatened her integrity and her future in another company if she chose to leave.

" _You_ wouldn't do that…" Kara's voice was soft, as if she didn't quite believe what she was saying herself. Kara knew Cat well. She knew Cat would do whatever she had to, to protect her assets.

"No. Not to _you_." Cat answered, honestly.

Kara seemed relieved, but only for a moment. "Do you think so little of me?" Kara asked, looking up through her lashes. "That I would leave as soon as another offer was extended?"

"So she did offer you a job!"

Kara rolled her eyes, "She always offers me a job."

Cat's eyes didn't widen but she felt surprise course through her. How often did Kara see Diana and why hadn't they been caught together beforehand? How was she only just learning about this? Cat internally smirked, just how many secrets did Kara have?

"I was good in R&D...ah!" Kara stopped Cat from interrupting, "I didn't enjoy it as much as I've enjoyed my time here. This was always where I wanted to be, publishing, media, journalism."

Cat relaxed, if only minutely-outwardly. Internally she was a ball of nervous, scared, energy.

Shaking her head Cat said, "I think too highly of you for my own good sometimes."

Cat's eyes widened at her admission. Cat wasn't sure what she was more upset about; Kara thinking she would actually go through with tanking her reputation; or Kara now knowing she wouldn't.

Cat wished that Kara realized that she saw Kara as one of those (special—need to protect at all costs-) assets. An asset that Cat would protect with everything she had at her disposal, and not just because she was Supergirl but because Kara was _Kara_.

"I wish you could trust me." Cat blinked, sure she hadn't spoken that out loud. Surely, she hadn't just said those words. Yet…with the way Kara's eyes widened and how she sank into her chair as if she'd been punched, Cat realized she had said them.

It was true. Cat wished that Kara could trust her. With _everything_. Kara obviously trusted Diana if that woman knew how to pronounce her name **correctly**.

Cat stood from her chair and pointed to a part of the article inside the open file she'd highlighted. "Change that. We can't be linking ourselves to _that…_ company."

Cat left the office as quickly as she'd arrived.

Kara looked down at the papers Cat had put on her desk and saw Lord Tech highlighted in the article she'd delivered. Somehow, she knew that wasn't what Cat had meant by her last statement.

Kara wasn't going to be playing around anymore. Kara was done being toyed with like a mouse in some childish game. End of story.

She was finally close with Cat but not as close as Kara wanted and it was time to change that. She just didn't know how to open up. Not like how Cat had been the last few weeks. She was known as brave, people thought of Supergirl as brave, but Kara Danvers was a coward. Especially when it came to Cat Grant.

Kara wondered, if maybe it was finally time to change that. Her eyes flashed for a moment as the blood in her system warmed as she leaned back in her chair, index finger brushing sensually over her top lip. Time for a change indeed.

**End Part Four**


	5. Chapter 5

**Part Five**

-.-.-.-

Cat left Kara's office without the answers she'd gone in looking for; Kalven's first day was a mystery. Kara's feelings about leaving her ward at school, unknown. Would Kara like to go to dinner with her and Carter that evening so they could all discuss Kalven's first day; answered even if the question hadn't been asked aloud.

Kara and Kalven could not join her and Carter this evening for dinner they had prior plans.

Cat stormed into her office like there was a fire storm behind her. And maybe there was, because she felt like a bridge she'd been building to Kara was being burned down and the cause was someone Cat couldn't be sure she'd win against. Diana Prince was her own Queen (in more ways than one). Ms. Prince had her own empire she wielded, she had her own connections, she had just as many things Cat could offer Kara.

It would appear that it would be up to Kara whom she wanted those offerings from.

Cat just hoped, beyond anything she'd hoped for (aside from Carter being born healthy) that Kara picked her.

"Miss Grant-"

"Not now."

"But Miss Gran—"

"I said not now!" Cat snapped, eyes flashing with her anger.

Styles backed up and nodded his head, leaving Cat in her office, alone.

Cat stalked towards the liquor cabinet and poured herself a glass of bourbon. She took a sip as she made a beeline for the balcony. Once out in the fresh air she took several deep breaths and calmed down. The last time she had gotten this… _jealous_ …was when she'd caught her first husband flirting with another woman.

At least in that instance she had a right to be jealous. Was she not the one to push Kara to use her Lighthouse technique to draw in James not…six months ago? Jealousy forced people to admit to their feelings. It wasn't the healthiest of tactics. But it worked. Even against her.

What was she thinking? Kara was half her age! She was obsessing over an _**employee**_ who was half her age! An employee who just became a guardian of a scared kid. A superhero who still didn't trust her with her identity. A woman…Cat sighed, a woman Cat had fallen for ages ago.

She'd waited too long and she had no one to blame but herself.

"Damn it." Cat downed her glass and stared out at the city around her. Aware, in more ways than one, that the reason this city was still standing after Myriad was because of Kara.

Which certainly didn't help her with the fact that she couldn't stop thinking of said superheroine. Everything these days reminded her of Kara, of Supergirl, of what she wanted and couldn't have.

Lifting the glass to her lips she tipped it over, hoping there would be at least another drop of alcohol in it. When none hit her tongue she put her hand down, her grip on the railing tight as she closed her eyes.

"Alright, so this is how it's going to go." Cat recited to herself. "You are going to stop this. Whatever _**it**_ is. Mid-life crisis. Mid-life experimenting. Mid-life something…" Cat spat out the words mid-life as if they left a bad taste in her mouth. "You will leave the poor girl _alone_. Be there to help her. A shoulder. A _friend_. But that is **all**. You will **not** be jealous. You will **not** have her followed tonight. You will _**not**_ make her uncomfortable. You will _**move on**_."

Cat opened her eyes, determined that this day would end and she would stick to her principals. One day at a time.

The first step, after all, was admitting she had a problem.

"Sven, get in here. We have work to do." Cat called as she lazily trekked back into her office and waited patiently as Stephan came running in with a pad and pen.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

By the end of the evening Cat stood on the porch of her private home and looked out at the scenic ocean view. Normally during the work week she and Carter stayed at the penthouse in the city as it was an easier commute for the both of them, but Cat had needed to get away.

The city life was just too suffocating for her tonight. It was midnight and Carter had been asleep for three hours. As soon as he'd settled in Cat had grabbed a bottle of wine from the seller and a wine glass from the kitchen before making her way out onto the porch. The night air was crisp, but that was nothing the warmth of alcohol couldn't fix.

Cat's phone buzzed and she looked down at the ID. Sighing, she took another drink from her glass. It was her fourth glass of wine this evening. There was another one, maybe two, where the last four came from that she was looking forward to finishing.

Swiping open the message Cat saw the picture and comment beneath. "Targets are settled."

Cat sighed, "Mission accomplished. Delete evidence. Ditch the phone."

"Done."

Cat scrolled up the images that she had sent to her by the confidential informant. She had promised herself that she wouldn't do this. That she would let Kara go, that she wouldn't make things awkward. But she broke most of those promises. Did it really count in breaking a deal when the deal was with yourself?

Cat sipped from her wine glass, the rim covered in the red marks the lipstick left behind. The wind whipped around her, causing the closed umbrella material to flap and snap.

Her eyes were glued to her phone.

The pictures were as telling a story as any.

Diana Prince picking up Kara and Kalven.  
The three entering a restaurant, only A-listers could get tables at.  
Kalven smiling and seated between Diana and Kara.  
Diana reaching across the table to hold Kara's hand.  
The two women smiling at each other.  
Pictures of the three leaving together.  
Diana joining Kara and Kalven for a 'nightcap'.  
Diana leaving in her car just ten minutes ago.  
Kara standing at her windows watching the car disappear.

They looked good together. Their differences making for a striking pair. Cat hated that they looked so good together. A perfect little family unit.

Cat deleted the messages, wiping them clean from the phone with an app her IT department had installed ages ago.

Cat finished another glass of wine as she sat on her porch and stared out into the dark blue darkness over the ocean. The sound of the waves cresting echoing into her ears, the mist in the air refreshing.

Cat inspected the wine glass and the many lip prints upon the crystal. Glaring at them as if they were the cause of her anger and pain she threw the glass across the way. The glass hit the wooden gate and shattered into hundreds of pieces.

Smashing her thumb against the phones thumb print reader, the went through her contacts and pressed the call button.

"Well, well well, what's the cat dragged in tonight? Hmmm?"

"Shut it, Lane." Cat glared at the air in front of her. "Tha—ay were old in gamma school." Slurring was unattractive, and yet Cat couldn't help it.

"Cat? Are you alright?" Lois sounded genuinely concerned.

"No. No, I'm not." Cat sniffed in through her nose, horrified that she'd admitted she wasn't okay, and at the burning sensation in her eyes. She told herself it was just the wind. She'd been sitting out in cold stinging wind for hours. That was it. It wasn't that she was actually upset or sad or terribly heartbroken that she had waited too long.

"What's wrong?" Lois shuffled a few things around, papers by the sound of it. "Cat…what's wrong? Where are you?"

Cat was too busy trying to keep the tears from falling to answer.

"Cat Kaitlin Grant. You answer me this instant!"

Cat sniffled again and closed her eyes, "This is ahhall youra fault."

"Everything is when it comes to you." Lois sighed, rolling her eyes, "What's my fault this time?"

"You're dated-tha rong Superhero."

Lois tried not to laugh, "What? Dating Batman and Superman wasn't enough? Should I have gone after Aquaman as well?"

"No. You imi…imba..idiot!" Cat pouted.

"Oh…kay…, who should I have dated?"

"Tha..tha…one wifh tha bracelets and the gi-antic breasts."

Lois guaffed. "Wonder Woman?" Cat hated Hawk Girl, and the bracelets had to mean Diana's gauntlets.

"Yeah. That bitch."

"Oh my god. Ohmygod…" Lois laughed so loud, long, and hard that she couldn't breathe for several seconds as she tried to calm herself down.

Cat waited impatiently, getting more and more upset. "It's. Not. Funny."

"Oh, oh…I, god, Cat, yes it is. And when you're not three sheets to the wind you'll agree."

"Ima hang up on yaou…" Cat even went to hit the end button.

"Wait, wait!" Cat pulled the phone back to her ear. "Don't do that. Where are you?"

"Home."

"How much have you had to drink?"

"'Nough…"

"Mmmhm…where's Carter?"

"Bed, sleepin."

"Okay good. It's loud where you are."

"Porch."

"Why don't you go inside and get a glass of water while you tell me why I should have dated Wonder Woman."

"Fine." Cat sluggishly made her way into the house, locking the screen door at Lois' instruction. She listened and didn't say anything because she was going to leave it open for a second.

Once Cat was in bed and had a drink of water, Lois told her to talk. Usually she'd bitch about listening to anything Lois said, but she couldn't find the energy to do it now. Lois was the only friend she could call to talk about this. She was the only one who would answer and look out for her. She was the biggest pain in the ass Cat knew, but Lois also cared. Cat needed that right now.

Cat drank the glass of water and curled up at the top of her bed above the covers. "Your lipstick sucks." Cat stated as she stared at her cup of water and saw the red lipstick smudge on it. "It…hafta…re-ply it like…four times a day."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"Leaves marks too."

"On?"

"Glasses. Forks. Cheeks."

"Cheeks? And whose cheeks have you been kissing with it on?"

"No matter now." Cat sniffled again. She was never drinking again.

"Somehow, I think that's all that matters right now."

"I messed uhhp." Cat whispered, the tears finally breaking through and tumbling down her cheeks.

"Cat, please." Lois was distressed, Cat could tell. She was moving around and fidgeting and she sounded worried and sad. "What happened? I can't help if I don't know what I'm working with."

"She left me. For Wonder Briches."

Lois ignored the rather comical name for Wonder Woman, Diana would get a kick out of that one for sure, but focused on the "she" Cat referred to. "Who left you for Wonder Briches, Cat?"

"Doesn…matter." Cat sobbed, clutching her pillow against her chest. "She pihicked her."

"Cat…who! Picked who?"

"Why…not. She's Wonder Briches. Wonder is her name. She's probly wonderful." Cat practically sang those sentences like they were from a Wicked soundtrack and she was Joel Grey.

Lois tried to narrow down who Cat could be talking to, but she didn't know enough about Cat's personal life to understand who she could be upset about picking Diana.

The only reason Diana was even in National City was because of Kara. She'd gone to help her move into her new apartment and settle in with Kalven.

Then, suddenly, it clicked. It couldn't _**BE**_ anyone else. But that didn't mean it didn't shock Lois any less.

"Kara…"

Cat's closed eyes squeezed shut even tighter than before as she sobbed at the sound of _her_ name.

"Cat, is that who you're talking about? Kara? Kara picked Di—Wonder Woman?"

Cat didn't verbally answer. Rather she continued to sob. Why wouldn't Kara pick Wonder Woman? She was from another universe too. They both had powers. They had _real_ power. They were Gods and Cat…Cat was Queen of a media conglomerate of ants in comparison.

Diana Prince…it hadn't taken her long to figure it out. These days Cat could figure out who was a superhero before she even realized what she was doing. All she'd needed was the connection to Kara to figure it out. Supergirl had been seen with the Justice League a few times in the last six months. She was nationally recognized for her work in stopping Myriad and had been embraced by the League…even if she didn't work for them full time. Six months ago she'd been helping them evacuate residents in a ravaged foreign country after a wild fire burned through half the village.

Now, only five months later Diana Prince shows up in Kara's office? Cat never claimed to be a genius but even she could put the pictures together of Supergirl standing next to Wonder Woman in photo Ops to know who Ms. Prince's alter ego was. Cat had been livid when she'd seen how friendly Supergirl-her girl-was with Wonder Woman. She'd been afraid that the bond shared there would pull Supergirl away from National City and there would be another hero in Metropolis. Really, Cat had been worried about losing Kara from her day to day life far more than she was worried about losing Supergirl.

"Cat…Cat are you there? Cat?"

Cat heard the sound of her voice being called but her voice just wouldn't function and her eyes wouldn't open. They stung and tears still fell from them and she felt sick. So sick to her stomach and there was a pain in her chest that she couldn't keep ignoring by drinking herself stupid. It was there and it hurt and all Cat wanted was for it to go away.

With Lois Lane's voice in her ear Cat Grant fell into an exhausted sleep, the phone call only ending when Lois heard Cat's sobs stop and her breathing even.

"Night, Kitty Cat. Sleep tight."

**End Part Five**


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lois decides she may have made a mistake and she needs to go to National City to fix things. Meanwhile Cat and Kara have an important discussion that doesn't end how either of them want it to.

**Part Six**

-.-.-.-.-

"Night, Kitty Cat. Sleep tight."

Lois hung up the phone with Cat and stared at her cellphone for several minutes. Wondering how she could have gotten things so wrong.

Lois knew that she was in for a lot of trouble. It was two days until the Supergirl Gala but everything had already fallen apart. It was time to start cleaning it up before something worse happened.

"Clark!" Lois called out into the house she shared with her husband, who she knew had been listening outside the door the whole time. The man had super hearing and he still stood outside the door. She wondered if it was just the 'human' thing to do when they both knew he could have heard that conversation from anywhere in the house-or from down the block.

"Yes, Lois. Is…everything okay?" Clarke slipped into the office with a weary expression upon his face.

"I'm not sure. I think I need to go to National City earlier than expected."

"Why?" His eyes narrowed.

"I may have made a tiny miscalculation with something…"

"Lois…" he crossed his arms over his chest.

Lois sighed, she hated when Clark looked at her like he knew she'd done something wrong and had the right to tell her 'I told you so'.

"It was an accident!"

"How is Cat Grant and Kara involved in this...accident...?"

Lois rubbed at the back of her neck as she stood up, "Well, remember how we were going through those boxes last week?" He nodded, "Well, I found a lot more than just your collection of General Hospital tapes."

"The point Lois."

"I found that vial of lipstick. The one that Luther gave me a million years ago."

Lois squeezed her eyes closed as she waited for the pieces to fall into place in Clarke's mind.

"Tell me you didn't..."

"I did. I sent it to Cat. She's been wearing it for the last three days."

"Lois!"

Lois pouted, "I didn't think it would backfire like this!"

"That's the problem, Lois, you weren't thinking at all. That is dangerous! You just put..."

"I know! I know what I put in Cat's hands and near Kara."

"And the boy, Lois. The boy as well."

Lois worry over Kara and Kalven and Cat took a sudden turn as Clark mentioned 'the boy'. "The boy has a name, Clark." Her voice darkened. Her husband had a very convenient memory of events regarding 'the boy' that still put Lois on edge.

Clark looked to the side, guilty-though he'd never admit to it-and away from Lois. She frowned and glared at her husband. There were still a lot of things left unsaid between them when it came to Kalven, and Clark's reaction to the boy. But for now, she would need to let it go, even though every part of her told her to push, that this was the right time to finally get Clark to admit to his selfishness when it came to Kalven. Instead, she rebelled against herself and stuck to the conversation at hand. She couldn't have Clark completely shut down on her right now.

"I knew it would only work if Kara was around Cat to begin with. I just had no idea that Cat actually... _cared_...for Kara. Like she apparently does."

"You mean to tell me that Cat Grant has _**feelings**_ for my cousin? Romantic feelings?"

Lois nodded once, a little weary of telling Clark the 'secret' that Cat had inadvertently spilled to her.

"That are coming to the surface now. Because of the lipstick?"

"Mayybe..."

Clarke didn't even have to say her name again to know he was internally groaning it in disappointment-mentally.

"I'm sorry! I can fix this. I just need to leave for National City. Now."

Clark relaxed, which meant he liked her plan. "Fine. I'm going with you."

Lois faltered, "No. I don't think that's a good idea."

"Why not?"

"Because..." Lois picked at her nails, suddenly unable to meet Clark's eyes. She needed a good lie. One that was the truth so his built in lie detector wouldn't pick it up. No way would Lois be able to fix anything if he went with her. (No way would Kara forgive her, hell the girl of steel still might not forgive her as it was).

"Cat may have figured out who Diana is when she's not running her R&D company."

"She what?!" Lois cringed at the shriek

Lois sighed, looked like she wasn't getting to National City for a while longer yet.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cat raced into the private bathroom in her office. Skylar was following behind her but stopped when he realized her destination.

Cat turned on the faucet and ran the water, cold. She splashed two handfuls up at her face trying to shock herself back together. When that didn't work She did it again, this time scrubbing at it, washing away her make-up and lipstick, leaving her face Maybe if she chipped away at the professional persona she could understand the horror that just took place.

Hell, maybe if she was lucky she'd even wake up from this nightmare. Because that was what today had to be. It had to be a nightmare.

There was no way that Cat had just sat in on a board meeting and told Mr. Travis Tuker what she actually thought about his ideas.

Cat blinked at her reflection. She felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise but there was no one around her. She was alone. She stared at her own reflection wondering how she could be so stupid.

Not only had she told Mr. Tucker what she thought of his ideas, she insulted the man by making fun of his name. She'd ripped him a part as if he were just another one of her minions. Except this 'minion' was certainly not a minion. He owned a hefty share of CatCo, enough that it could become troubling if he wanted to cause trouble.

"What is wrong with you?" Cat asked herself. Her own eyes blinked back at her, but gave her no answers.

Cat had woken up with a terrible hang over. She had cursed herself for drinking so much by herself and deciding to stay at the beach house, which meant she had to be up even earlier. Thankfully she'd been able to close her eyes during the car ride into the city as Carter had taken that time to catch up on the lost hour of sleep as well.

Having a board meeting today had been icing on the already tipping over cake.

First, the hangover.  
Second, recalling why she had the hangover.  
Third, realizing who she'd spoken to the night before with her drunken ramblings.  
Third (b), being unable to get in touch with Lois.  
Fourth, seeing how happy Kara was today.  
Fifth, being overly frustrated with all of her employees.  
Sixth, her hangover during a board meeting where she told her board member that she thought he would be better suited to a Dickens novel as his ideas were as useless to a plot as any male lead.

Cat couldn't help herself.

It was little things.  
All day.

Cat had just been so...  
…done.  
Run down.  
Easily irritable.

So it appeared, her filter, was gone.

Normally that wouldn't bother her. But now she had reason to worry. It was one thing to tell an employee that he needed to stop sexually harassing the women in his department, but it was another for her to tell a board member that he "needed to pull his head out of the clouds and realize that he had no valuable information on the new expenditures."

Cat looked at herself in the mirror as if she didn't recognize who she saw. Her face had changed, yes, through the years. But everyone's face did as they aged—unless you were Wonder Woman and part Goddess. She'd been staring into her own eyes for years, decades. So why was it that today she could hardly meet her own eyes? Why was it today, of all days, when she felt so… _boorish_...that she had to go and ruin things? With the Board, with Kara.

She was making a mess everywhere she turned. And the worst part was, she couldn't help it.

Everything she'd said today was the truth.

She hadn't lied to anyone.  
Not a single person.  
Not even a white lie.

She was even being honest with herself, and that was a miracle in and of itself.

Cat Grant was telling the truth and it was destroying everything.

She was almost grateful that she hadn't seen Kara since this morning. Their first conversation had been as unpleasant as Cat had thought it would be.

Everything had been too close to the surface this morning, even more so than it was now. There were things said that Cat never should have formed on her tongue. Sadly, there was nothing she could do about that now. Kara had made her choice. The hypocrite-the coward!

-.-.-.-

"Good morning, Miss Grant."

Cat could barely lift her eyes up from the floor, her neck was sore and her head just felt heavy, and the dull ache…wasn't so dull anymore.

Kara stood in front of Cat's desk with an honest smile upon her face. There was a shine in her eyes and a spring in her step that Cat had missed the last few weeks. Now it was back and the reason had nothing to do with her and every reason to do with Diana Prince.

Cat internally scowled—at least she thought she did—until Kara's eyes widened and she looked nervously around the office.

"Are you alright, Miss Grant?" Cat hummed in discomfort. "Can I get you something?" Kara snapped her jaw shut with an audible click, when Cat held up her hand to stop Kara from talking all together.

"I'm exhausted and in pain." Cat had wanted to say that she was fine and for Kara to leave her alone. Apparently, her filter was still lost somewhere at the bottom of a wine bottle that was now hopefully resting in the recycle bin back at her beach home.

"Here…" Kara went into the stash of medicine under the liquor and pulled out two Advil and a bottle of water. She brought them back to Cat who took them without saying a word.

"Can I do anything else for you, Miss Grant?"

"How was dinner with Ms. Prince?" Cat sneered at the woman's name.

Kara smiled, "It was lovely."

Cat ground her teeth together, "How…quaint."

Kara's smile was slowly fading. "Is there something you'd like to say, Miss Grant?"

No, "Yes…"

"Well, I'm all ears." Kara's hands clapped against her sides as she waited for Cat to speak her mind. "Before you say anything, you don't get a say in who I see outside of the office. That's not your place to dictate. You're my boss—"

"Just your boss?"

" _Yes_ , and the only reason you're not something more is because of _you_."

" _More_ …" Cat croaked, the tension in her forehead increasing as she widened her eyes and the light in the room caused her to flinch.

Kara chickened out, again. "Friends, I…we could be good _friends_. But you don't want that. You've made that clear. You can't just…you can't make me stop seeing my friends outside of work. You couldn't even do that if you were my lover."

Cat suddenly felt faint at the idea of Kara putting her in the same category as a lover, even if she was telling her that they weren't lovers and if they were, Cat would have no control over who Kara saw in her free time.

Cat should have been more interested in the fact that Kara even put her there to begin with and that the girl wasn't a blushing mess for doing so. No, instead she seemed to be sure of herself. Her confidence growing the longer she was in front of Cat.

"I am not a toy you can play with. I have feelings, Cat! I have _feelings_ , and it's unfair to me for you to invite me to your home one day and then…get mad at me the next for spending time with someone else and…" Kara's eyes widened as if she came to a realization. "The Lighthouse." She whispered so softly Cat didn't hear her.

"I am not mad that you went out with that _Amazon_. I am merely…"

"You're jealous…" Kara whispered.

"Excuse me?" Cat's eyes narrowed, surely Kara hadn't just said she was jealous.

"You're jealous!" Kara's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree.

"I...I..." Cat couldn't say it. She couldn't say that she was jealous or that she wasn't jealous either, she just couldn't get her lips to form the words! And maybe it was better that way. Then she wouldn't admit to the jealousy.

Was she really that obvious?

Kara's nervousness vanished before Cat's eyes. The young woman suddenly filled with an air of confidence that made Cat nervous and very _warm_. The warmth spread down her neck as Kara stepped up to the desk.

"Is that what this is about? You're _jealous_ of me spending time with Diana?" Kara pressed her palms against the edge of Cat's desk and leaned forward. Cat snapped her eyes away from the young woman's chest—which had become far more visible the last two days—her heart rate picked up against her will even as outwardly she was the picture of calm. Kara's glasses fell low on her nose so she could stare at Cat without the lenses in the way.

The sultry look caused a shot of heat to spread through Cat's body, unlike any she'd felt in...well, years.

Cat tutted, "You have no idea what you're saying."

"No, I think I do…" Kara's grin was almost one sided, the left edge of her lips curling up higher than the right.

Cat stood up from her chair, unable to sit still for another moment. Instead of remaining by her desk as she planned she turned and walked out onto the balcony. She knew Kara would follow her, because it was something she would do when she realized she had someone exactly where she wanted them, and Kara was nothing if not a quick study.

Cat also needed air, cool fresh air and something else to look at besides Kara.

Once at the balcony wall Cat stopped, her hands resting comfortably on the banister.

Cat didn't turn around, but she could hear, could feel, Kara standing behind her. "Not going to apologize?"

"Is there something I should apologize for?" God Cat either wanted to smack the smugness out of Kara's voice or kiss it away.

The fresh air did Cat some good, she regained some semblance of control (even if it was an illusion).

"You might want to think before you speak of jealousy. It is inappropriate." Especially to discuss such things while in the office. Had Kara lost her mind? Why would she think this was something they could/should discuss now?! Why could she not bring this up when they were alone? There were ample opportunities to do so these days, even with how busy they'd been the last few weeks.

"In a work setting or just in general when it comes to us?"

Cat huffed, shaking her head, "There is no, 'us'."

Kara stood only a foot behind Cat, watching her closely, even if she couldn't see her face. "Yes there is. There's been an _us_ for **years**."

" _Years_ …" Cat chuckled, god, how right Kara was. It had been years, hadn't it? It didn't start like this though. They weren't close. But that changed, they changed. Kara helped Cat change, become better. It wasn't an easy feat and Cat knew she hadn't made it easy, but Kara hadn't given up. They forged forward, even when Cat wanted to run and hide and said and did things she would forever regret. They were more than just boss and employee. They were more. They'd grown to mean so much more to each other. Even beyond the realms of appropriate.

"I mean more to you than a story. I mean… _ **more**_ to you. You said so yourself." Cat remained uncharacteristically silent, "Why not just admit it? Why not just say you want to spend time with me outside of work? That you want more than a working relationship? Why are you pulling me closer just to push me away when you get scared?"

Cat spun around, "Because I am scared! I am… _ **terrified**_ …" she waved her hands around in the air, a habit she had broken years ago and yet resorted to when she was angry or nervous. "I don't know what's _wrong_ with me. It's like, everything about my life is an open book suddenly. I can't concentrate. I can't think straight…" Cat laughed at the irony of that phrase, "I'm not myself. I want things I never could admit to before. I'm admitting to things I never thought I'd be able to!" Cat felt like she was about to cry she was so overwhelmed.

Kara faltered as Cat quickly and ferociously advanced on her.

"Do you want to know what I want?"

Kara took a step back as Cat took one forward.

"Do you really think you can _handle_ knowing?"

Kara swallowed thickly as her eyes roamed over Cat's body.

Cat licked her lips at the obvious signs of interest, of attraction, (this had to be mutual, didn't it?).

"Because I just started admitting to it and my life is falling apart around me because of it. I'm saying and doing things I never would have done before. I am no longer in control of myself and that's _terrifying_ to me."

Cat brought her fingers up to Kara's cheek, the same one she'd kissed the night before. The Kryptonian's skin was warm, much warmer than Cat expected. Had it always been this warm or was there something causing Kara's skin to emit so much heat?

The skin, although warm, was soft. So very soft. Cat sighed at the touch of it beneath her fingertips.

Kara's eyes fluttered closed and she leaned towards the gentle touch before she seemed to realize what she was doing and her eyes widened and she straightened her head once more, pulling her face away from Cat's exploratory hand.

"Do you want to know what I want? Truly want?" Cat asked, her voice as soft as her touch, her eyes shining with everything she'd been feeling for Kara the last few days. No, what she'd been feeling for months but was only just able to admit to.

Kara's respiration picked up and her eyes darkened. "I don't…I don't know."

Cat was disappointed. But she did her best to hide it.

Cat nodded, realizing that Kara's bravada only lasted for so long. Sighing, her shoulders sagging with her disappointment, Cat tentatively stepped away from Kara. Her hand calling cold and limp at her side as she moved away from Kara.

"Then I suggest you figure that out before you start accusing me of anything." Cat turned her back on Kara and made her way to the balcony. "Whether it's true or not." Cat waved her hand in the air as if it were all inconsequential.

Kara left without saying anything, and Cat stayed out on her balcony until Sully came and fetched her for the board meeting.

**End Part Six**


	7. Chapter 7

**Part Seven**

-.-.-.-.-

Cat rubbed the memory away as she scrubbed at her face with the cold water once more before she grabbed a towel and dried her wet skin. She pulled out a make-up bag from the drawer of the sink cabinet. She started to reapply her make-up, and sighed, realizing she'd have to reapply Lois' lipstick for the third time today. Rolling her eyes, she forewent Lois' lipstick and just put on some lip gloss. She'd already worn it for most of the day, she'd even sent her the picture as proof, and she'd yet to hear back from that woman.

Pushing Lois from her mind Cat squared her shoulders and exited her in-suite. She called Stephan into her office and gave him a list of things that needed to be done. She had some damage control to handle before she went over the last details for the Supergirl gala that was in two days.

Cat made the phone calls, sent the emails she needed to send, and smiled softly at the responses she received throughout the next two hours. Several of the board members were glad she had finally said something to Travis, the man's ego having grown three times the size in recent months. Of course, they wouldn't say that publically, but Cat learned she could count on their continued support.

Cat took off her glasses and pinched the bridge of her nose to stem off the headache she felt coming. The tension of the day catching up with her.

It was two thirty. The day was almost over. _Thank goodness._ She could use a good night's sleep. The stress and exhaustion of this week were obviously getting to her.

"Go home."

Cat looked up to see Kara standing at the door. She rolled her eyes at the instruction. "There is far too much to get done."

"You're exhausted. You won't get anything else done that can't be given to someone else."

Cat sighed, but kept writing. "I do not take orders from you, Kara. You're losing perspective when it comes to…us."

Kara nodded, "Maybe, but I'm right."

"Kara…" Cat sighed, her pen falling to the desk. She was too tired to fight.

"You need the rest. Let us handle things here."

"Us…?" Why was it like pulling teeth? Why was everything so hard today? Why did her heart have to race at the sight of Kara while her chest warmed at the sound of her voice? Why did she have to make things so awkward between them? Why couldn't she have just stayed quiet and left Kara alone?

Why did she always make things harder for herself when she told the truth?

This...this awkwardness and uncertainty and fear…was why she didn't do friendships or lovers or emotions. It was just too hard. And too disappointing.

"The staff." Kara clarified.

Cat scuffed, as if the staff could do what she did to her standards. No. They could not and would not. "I am capable of doing my job without your... _ **their**_ inconsequential assistance."

"I never thought differently."

Silence extended between them, but Kara remained in her office.

"Don't you have work to be getting done?"

"I am waiting on proofs before I can move forward. James is getting them now."

Cat hummed a response as she began scribbling again, turning the page to continue to do her work. It was a clear dismissal. But Kara remained. And Cat just wanted to ignore her. Wanted to pretend that Kara wasn't in the room, but she could _feel_ Kara's eyes on her.

Not being able to keep quiet Cat started a 'safe' conversation, never looking up or pausing in her work.

"How did Kalven's first day go?"

Kara seemed surprised by the question. "He…it-it went…fa-fine."

"You're a terrible liar, Kara."

Kara sighed heavily, "It wasn't easy."

Cat frowned, she'd been afraid that it would be hard for the young boy. "What time does he get out today?"

Kara didn't look at a clock, but Cat didn't suspect she'd need to. "In an hour."

Cat capped her pen and finally looked up at Kara. She didn't look well. The circles were back beneath her eyes and the stress lines along her forehead were prominent.

"Pack your things." She began to put her files away for the day.

Kara blinked, "What?"

"I will leave the office, as you are instructing, but you will come with me. We will pick Kalven up from school and Mike will drop the both of you off at home."

Kara shook her head, "That's…you don't have to…I have so much work I have to do." Kara gestured outward toward the bullpen as if the work was visible there beyond the glass walls of Cat's office.

"If my...work can wait, so can yours." Cat issued the challenge with her eyes. Let Kara try and tell her that her work was more important than Cat's.

Cat did not appreciate being thrown out of the office by her former assistant, but she couldn't lie to her and say she was fine. She wasn't. She was very _very_ far from fine. And so was Kara. The dark circles around her eyes were more prominent and she looked as defeated as Cat felt. So different from how the young woman had acted earlier this morning. There was an air of anger around Kara now, frustration, and it was practically sizzling. It worried Cat. It reminded her of something. Cat just couldn't place her finger on what.

"Elevator. In five minutes, Kara."

Kara rolled her eyes, but she turned and left the office before Cat could say anything about her attitude. Instead, Cat collected her bag and went to Stephan's desk.

"Kara and I are leaving for the day. My calls about the gala can be rerouted to Leslie, it's her job after all. Anything from the board can be sent to my personal cell. Otherwise take messages or forward them to my voicemail." Cat was typing in her phone a list of things that needed to be done. "I will send you this list, divide them by department. Make sure they get done, hound people if you have to. But I want each of these finished by tonight. Scan them to my email. I will look over them. We go to print tomorrow night." Cat stressed, Stephan's eyes wide but his fingers typing everything she was saying so he didn't miss a thing.

"Yes, Miss Grant. I'll make sure everything's sent to you."

"Good. Thank you." Cat absently said as she sent him the list, unaware of the wide eyes and shocked expression upon his face at the simple 'thank you'.

Cat pushed the call button for the elevator, unsurprised that it opened. She pretended not to notice the eyes of the bullpen staring at her as Kara raced into the opened doors several seconds after her. Cat slipped on her sunglasses. Let them talk. She'd deal with them tomorrow, after she got as much sleep as possible.

Kara said nothing as the elevator descended. Cat didn't have the energy to start a conversation, so she settled into the slightly awkward silence.

The silence followed them until they sat in Cat's town car, Mike waiting for directions.

"The Michaelson School. It's on…" Cat looked at Kara to supply their destination, as she did not know the address of the school merely the name from their conversation the night she and Kalven joined her and Carter for dinner.

"Bedford and third…" Mike and Kara echoed together.

Cat nodded, glad that Mike knew where they were going. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

"You didn't have to do this. I'm more than capable of taking care of Kalven."

"I do not doubt that you are."

"Then why are you constantly making it seem like you don't trust me to take care of him on my own!?" Kara erupted, her voice slightly raised and in the small confines of the car it might as well have been shouting.

Cat sighed, opening one eye to look at Kara, her headache a full blown migraine at this point, "Is that what you think I'm doing?"

"Isn't it?" Kara asked, suddenly sounding unsure.

"Kara, I'm only trying to be… _nice_."

"But only when it comes to Kalven and how I'm taking care of him. His bus drops him off at CatCo. It will every day until I'm on leave. Then I can pick him up or have the bus drop him off at home with me."

"If he is having trouble, I know, from experience, that it is good for kids, parents, and teachers to see your face. To see the face of the person that loves him. For him it's good because he is with you in front of all of them, so that he knows he has someone—just like all those other kids who get picked up have someone. I do not think you are incapable. I just, _know_ , simple things like this can help him, and by extension you. I do not think you are incapable. I just think that you have not had to go through it. It is something that you will learn."

Cat closed her eyes again as Kara considered what she said. Maybe she was only being nice to Kara when it came to Kalven, but that was because he was the easy choice. Doing something for Kara and extension Kalven could be written off as her doing something nice for the boy, not Kara. And that made it easier for Cat to justify doing it because otherwise she would have to truly examine what it was she was doing and why. It was easier to lie to herself and say it was for Kalven, even though from the very beginning she'd admitted it had been all for Kara (and a little bit for Kalven).

"I didn't think about it like that. I just…it's hard. Everyone thinks I can't do this. That I shouldn't be doing this."

"Everyone?" Cat lifted her sunglasses and looked at Kara through slitted eyes.

"My sister, my foster mother...people I care about."

Cat seemed to understand where the anger came from now. It wasn't solely directed at her. There were other factors involved. Cat was just the easy target for it because Kara didn't care as much about her as she did the other people in her life-who she had to fear leaving her if she showed them her anger. Cat tried to pretend that didn't sting.

(Never once did Cat think that maybe Kara cared about Cat just as much but trusted her with all of her emotions, including the anger-and had faith that even after expressing that anger Cat would still be there.)

"And people who care about you." Did she mean Ms. Prince? Or was it Winifred and Olsen?

"Yes…they're supportive but I can tell. They look at me with this look…" Kara waved her hand around in the air as she tried to figure out the right word. "Pity!" Kara's eyes flashed dangerously as she spoke about what was bothering her. "They pity Kalven. They feel sorry for me for having him, like it's a hardship." Kara grit her teeth together, her hands fisting in her lap.

Cat noticed and slipped her hand across the short distance to rest on Kara's balled fist.

Kara looked at Cat's hand and then met Cat's eyes. She frowned, her eyes watering with a mixture of anger and sadness. "He's _not_ a hardship." The way Kara pleaded this made Cat understand that no one else believed her when she said it. "He's _family,_ from _home_. And he **needs** me. And they don't understand that! They haven't lost people like Kalven and I have. They haven't lost as much as us."

There were so many questions that Cat wanted to ask, so many small things she wished she could say. She wanted to help Kara more than she could stand, and she was forced to remain silent so she could let Kara pretend that her secrets were still her own. Cat would keep Kara's secrets, even if that meant she had to keep them from Kara as well. Until Kara trusted her to know, Cat could pretend not to know anything. Even though in situations like this, where Kara was opening up to her and she wanted to help, there was only so much she could say.

"Perhaps they are only worried for you. I do not think anyone could pity you, Kara." Cat saw the unbelieving stare and rubbed her finger back and forth across the girl's hand, hoping it would ease some of her tension.

Kara's breath seemed to catch at the additional touch, her eyes falling to stare at their hands. The tension in her body slowly ebbing as she focused on her breathing and Cat's touch.

"They are the people you care about the most, and who care about you the most. But they won't understand your need to do this. But they will learn. Just like you will learn how to be Kalven's guardian, and Kalven will learn how to live here, with you. It will take time and adjustments, and you will make mistakes as everyone does. But you already love that boy enough that I have faith everything else will fall into place."

Kara's breath was uneven and her eyes filled with tears as her body relaxed, her fist loosening its grip.

"I'm sorry." Kara whispered as she wiped away a few tears. "For today. For everything. Everything has just been…so close to the surface. I feel lost one minute and sure the next. I didn't mean to, do what I did before. I just…thank you. For everything. And please know I'm sorry. I didn't want to make things awkward between us."

Cat squeezed Kara's hand, preparing to release her, "You have nothing to be sorry for. I should apologize for my actions. It was unfair and something you do not deserve. I put too much pressure on you and that's not your fault. That's mine."

"You were just being honest."

"Yes, but sometimes it is better not to be." Cat could think of a lot of times a white lie was better than telling the truth. Her inability to even do that recently was a mystery she needed to solve.

Cat withdrew her hand and relaxed, closing her eyes and hiding them behind the sunglasses once more. They arrived at the school a few minutes later. They'd made good time. Looking at her watch Cat realized they had about twenty minutes before the kids were released.

"Don't mind me if I rest my eyes. This migraine just won't go away." Cat did not whine, but that was a close thing.

"Did you take something for it?"

"Yes, taken too much for the day." Unfortunately.

"Can I do something, to help?" Kara asked, obviously having noticed how Cat could hardly keep her eyes open at the pain.

Cat peeked open her eyes, "Not much that can be done but cold, darkness, and sleep."

"And one other thing, if you'll let me?" Kara gestured to her hands flexing her fingers in a little wiggle to indicate she meant her fingers could apparently cast magic. Cat snickered internally at the thought. Now wouldn't that be interesting.

Cat sighed, "Be my guest." Anything if it meant the pressure would ease up.

"Relax…ease up on the way your holding your head." Kara instructed as she scooched closer to Cat.

Cat tried her best to relax herself. "Much better. Okay, now, close your eyes and lean your neck back against the head rest." Cat followed the instructions and suddenly felt a cool breeze sweep across her forehead before gentle, cool fingers, began to press into pressure points around her forehead.

It took a few moments, it could have been seconds or minutes, Cat wasn't sure. Suddenly the pain that had been gathered at the forefront of her head eased and the pressure of Kara's fingers was like magic.

Cat hummed and moaned softly at the sudden easement of pain.

The next thing Cat knew the door to the car was being opened. She blinked away the sleep from her eyes shocked that she had been asleep at all. Looking around Cat noticed the car was empty in front of her and beside her. Where had Kara gone?

Taking off the sunglasses she touched the pressure point Kara had been massaging when she fell asleep.

"Then this girl, named Melanie McHugh sat with me at lunch. She did not mind that I ate more than the other children. She offered to share her lunch meal with me and she requested that I sit with her during our lunch meal tomorrow." Kalven was racing to finish his story before he got into the car, his excited chatter halting when he saw Cat was seated by the window already.

"Miss Cat Grant, mother of Carter Grant." Kalven recited the mouthful as if he'd only just said Miss Cat Grant and left it at that. He also appeared surprised. Perhaps it was a reflex to state people's names like that for him? Odd though it may be for Cat, who'd never greeted someone in that particular manner.

"Kalven Lang, hello." Cat smiled at the young boy and watched as his eyes lit up and he smiled brightly back at her.

"Kara, may I sit at the window?"

"Oh, here I'll just..." Cat went to, well she wasn't sure what she was going to do, but suddenly Kara was entering the car and settling into the middle. Once again they were pressed together, Kara's bare legs—thanks to her short dress skirt—rubbing against the material of Cat's pants. She cursed herself for deciding to wear slacks today.

Kara offered a charming smile as she settled in, watching as Kalven did the same thing.

"34-17 Lenox Street, Mike. And do try and beat the traffic." Cat effortlessly gave Kara's address when they were all sitting comfortably in the car.

"So, Kalven, you were telling Kara about a young lady who wishes for you to sit with her at lunch?"

Kalven looked a little surprised, almost as if he didn't expect for Cat to have heard him speaking at all.

"Yes, Miss Cat Grant. She is…nice."

"You can call me Cat…"

"Oh no," Kalven shook his head, "I could not. My teachers explained why it is important to call them Miss or Mister. It is a sign of respect like back home if you were a Lord or a Lady of your house." Kalven's smile seemed to fade as he mentioned home.

Kara leaned over to Kalven and whispered in his ear. He settled against Kara more comfortably and hid his face against her shoulder for a few minutes. Cat said nothing, though her heart ached for the young boy who still was so devastated by the loss he had faced. Kara spoke to him in their language and soothed him, helping him fight off the tears that seemed ready to fall from his eyes.

When he calmed, Cat met Kara's eyes and saw how there was a haunted look in them as well. Such a pain these two shared and no one they could talk to about it.

Cat swallowed back her empathetic distress, "Kalven…" He popped his head up to look at her, but the excitement in his eyes was gone. "You can address me however you like. But, perhaps you'd like to call me Miss Grant, like your cousin?"

Kalven did not smile, but he nodded his head in acceptance before resting his head against Kara's shoulder again. Kara brushed her fingers through his curly hair and held him close against her.

Cat knew they needed something to be said, they needed a distraction. "Mike…do a wrap around on Market."

Mike looked at Cat through the rearview, his smile showed his approval. "Yes, Miss Grant."

-.-.-

"Miss Grant…?"

"Cat, when we're alone, Kara." Someone was going to call her by her first name if it was the last thing she did!

"Where are you going?" Kara asked, trying to pick out which store front Cat was going into of the ones on this street.

Cat didn't answer the direct question, "I will be right back." Cat opened the car door and slipped out of the stationary car.

"She did not answer." Kalven pointed out as he became alert of their surroundings and followed Miss Grant's form as she made her way down the street into the crowd.

Kara could not help but agree with Kalven. She turned to the only other person who might know where Cat was going. "Mike…what is she doing?"

"Oh no, you won't be getting me with those puppy dog eyes. She'll be right back."

Fifteen minutes later Kara and Kalven were both curious, though Kalven was more so. He had his nose pressed up against the window, his glasses still firmly in place, as he watched the street for Cat.

Mike got out of the car when Cat finally appeared, and Kalven jumped backwards, practically hovering/flying across the car to be back on his side once again, keeping Kara in the middle. His cheeks were bright red as he looked around Kara's shoulder at Cat as she got into the car with two large…something or others. Kalven had never seen them before. But, whatever it was, it was dripping.

Kara's eyes widened at the sight of two large waffle cones piled with ice cream. One had Kara's favorite flavor—rocky road—and the other had the three staple flavors, vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry. They each were covered in caramel and chocolate sauce and whipped cream dollops and had spoons sticking out of them and candy straws.

"Cat…!" Kara gasped in surprise.

"Well, don't just sit there. Take them." Cat playfully mocked.

Kara jerked into action and took the two cones from Cat as she got into the car.

"What is it?" Kalven asked, staring at the delicious looking treat with open eyed innocence.

Cat halted for a moment, staring at the young boy and the treats his cousin held for him, and she truly had to wonder just what type of planet these two were from that they didn't have ice cream.

"This, is the best ice cream in the city. Kara, I got you the rocky road with mint chip on the bottom."

"My favorite…" Kara breathed, wondering how Cat knew.

Cat didn't acknowledge that she knew Kara's favorite ice creams, she just turned to Kalven and directed Kara to hand him his ice cream cone.

"Kalven, I got you the Originator…it has chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry ice cream, chocolate chips on the bottom, chocolate and caramel sauce and the cone is designed so you can drink the melted ice cream from the candy straws. I know…it's probably too much for in the middle of the day and will keep you awake till all hours. But…it is also something I have when I have had a rough day." Cat continued to speak about how they each deserved it, and really she was telling Kara why she'd done what she had but did so indirectly as she looked at Kalven and watched him stare at the ice cream in his hand.

"Be careful…it's cold eat it slow or you'll get a brain freeze." Kara warned.

Kalven followed directions and at the first spoonful his eyes grew impossibly large.

Cat smiled as Kalven scooped spoonful after spoonful into his mouth. Though he slowed only when he got to a new flavor, his eyes impossibly wide and filled with wonder.

"Where to now, Miss Grant?" Mike asked from the front seat after he'd buckled in.

Kara and Cat held each other's eyes for a long moment. There were a lot of things that needed to be said but were stuck somewhere behind their closed lips.

"Home." Cat broke eye contact with Kara and looked at Mike. "Home for the Danvers and Lang stowaways."

"What's a stowaway?" Kalven asked his lips covered with ice cream as he spoke with his mouth full.

"Kalven..." Kara warned, her voice and tilt of the head the perfect pitch and look of a parent.

"Oh..." He swallowed his ice cream and waited a few seconds before he looked at Cat for an answer. "What is a stowaway?"

"Someone that hides somewhere so they can get a free ride to another destination."

Kalven's eyebrows scrunched, like Kara's did when She was confused. Cat, not for the first time, was struck by how similar the two cousins were.

"But I am not hiding."

Cat shook her head in amusement, "No. You are not."

_**"It is a turn of phrase.**_ " Kara spoke what Cat could only assume was a turn of phrase in their native language.

"Oh..." Understanding dawned on Kalven's face before he went back to his ice cream.

The rest of the car ride was spent with Kara and Cat making occasional eye contact while the two cousins enjoyed their ice cream and Kalven told Cat about his first two days at his new school.

He spoke about how the math and science classes were far too...easy...but history and English were difficult.

By the time they arrived at Kara's new apartment building Kalven had finished his ice cream, the cone, and the candy straw. So had Kara. Cat couldn't be happier. The tension from the day had long since faded thanks to Kara's magic fingers and her cat nap.

They all piled out of the car so Kalven didn't need to step out into the street. Mike grabbed Kalven and Kara's bags from the trunk and Kalven shook his hand with a rather firm grip in thanks. Mike flexed his fingers and smiled at the boy before he got back in the car.

"Thank you, Miss Cat Grant. For the ice cream and the non-stowaway ride." Kalven had chocolate ice cream on his face that Kara and Cat just couldn't get off his lips, closer to his cheek and his chin. He was the picture of youth and innocence and with him standing beside Kara Cat was struck by how...right they seemed.

Kara beamed proudly at Kalven and even squeezed his shoulder as he leaned against her. Cat noted his favorite place seemed was at Kara's right side.

"You are very welcome, Mister Lang." Kalven blushed and hid his face against Kara's dress skirt; Kara didn't even flinch at the contact of his chocolate covered face against her-tasteful and expensive-dress.

Kara stared at Cat for several seconds as they stood on the sidewalk in front of the building. The doorman standing a respectful distance from them, but Kara noticed his eyes peering at the town car parked in a no standing zone.

"Thank you for the ride and the ice cream." Kara stepped forward this time and Cat watched her very carefully, even if her eyes never left Kara's. "Thank you for everything." Kara whispered in her ear. As Kara was leaning away her lips pressed against Cat's cheek.

Kara's lips were soft and gentle against her cheek and the touch of them made her body burn in such a pleasant way, her cheeks instantly enflamed with color.

As Kara leaned back Cat smiled, the upturn slowly spreading across her face until it was as wide and 'cheerful' as Kara's own. Kara's cheeks were a bit pink, but otherwise the young woman was merely smiling brightly at Cat.

"Good day Miss Grant." Kara led Kalven to the front door, the doorman opened it for them and greeted them by name.

Cat watched until she could no longer see them as they wrapped around a corner that the glass doors did not permit easy sight of.

Cat got into her car and shook away the butterflies that fluttered restlessly inside her stomach. The smile still upon her lips when she arrived home where she noticed she'd never reapplied her lipstick.

**End Part Seven**


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The one where Cat makes several phone calls and receives a very important one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope that you've enjoyed the update. I should hopefully be able to post a few more updates within the next few days/weeks. My goal is to post the final chapter for this story during SuperCat Week which is taking place July 30th - August 6th. You should check it out! The more the merrier. I have several other stories I will be submitting during that week that I need to finish. But, I hope this will hold you all off until then. :-) One particular story is one I've been working on for months and am INCREDIBLY excited about! :-D I hope you will be to. :-)

**Part Eight**

-.-.-.-.-.-

Although there was a great deal of work to be done Cat Grant forwent almost all of it so that she could spend time with Carter. They spoke about his day at school, she helped him with his English and History homework, (he may have ended up teaching her some of the math he was completing in school), they cooked and ate dinner together, and then snuggled into the couch to watch a movie.

It was a completely domesticated evening and Cat loved it. She loved spending time with Carter. It however, always had the unwanted side effect of wondering if she spent 'enough' time with him. Did she work too long and too hard, did she neglect her son? She knew the answer to the questions, she just found the answers always seemed to be different depending on the night/day Cat had for the last one.

Those worries usually arrived well after Carter had gone to bed and she was alone with her thoughts. But this evening, the guilt of being a full time (plus an incredibly large amount of over time) working single mom didn't fester against her chest as much as it usually did. Tonight it seemed Cat had other things to think about.

Mainly: Kara Danvers and Kalven Lang.

This evening Cat refrained from indulging in a bottle of wine, no need to have a repeat of the night before. Although, to be fair, she checked her phone a dozen times and was sadden that Lois never returned her calls or texts. If Cat allowed herself to think about it she would probably come to the conclusion that she was slightly—a tiny little itty bit—worried about Lois. It wasn't like the journalist, (second rate), not to answer or at least email her with notice of her leaving the country or going undercover and being unavailable until otherwise noted.

Hell! Cat had even reapplied the damn lipstick and sent the selfie to the woman to make sure she kept up her end of their bargain. The least Lois could do was type back a 'k' or insult, or what have you. _Anything_ at this point would ease Cat's— **nonexistent** —worry.

Cat stood from her place in her reading room. The lights were dimmed and she had music playing softly in the background. There was an aura of calm within the atmosphere, even if inside Cat was a raging storm of tension and confusion.

Aside from her worrying over Lois and her new obsession with day dreaming about Kara, Cat got no work done. It was very unlike her. She _should_ have been focusing on the work she had to get done before they went to print tomorrow evening. Any effort to stop thinking about Kara always ended up circling back to thinking about the young woman. It was a circular train of thought that seemed to continue indefinitely and it was beginning to make Cat dizzy.

For instance, how was Kara affording the apartment she was in with Kalven? From the personal information change form that Kara submitted—yes Cat had looked, but she was typically alerted to her employees change forms when they were significant like say for a birth of a child or wedding. Kara had only moved into the apartment after Kalven came to live with her, which was two or three weeks ago at this point. True, Kara had been fighting for custody of Kalven for nearly four months before he'd finally moved in. Kara's fight to bring Kalven into her home was not what brought about Cat's internal dilemma. No, it was the location alone of the apartment. It was certainly an upgrade from her last. Even with the raises that Kara's promotions provided, there was still enough room to speculate.

Which begged the questions—in Cat's journalistic mind—how was she affording it?

Had Kalven's parents left Kalven an inheritance that Kara was now able to use so long as she proved it was for the betterment of Kalven's living situation? Was Kara living outside of her means?

Then there was the school.

How was Kara affording the Michaelson School which was only a step below Carter's own private school? The school _**and**_ a new apartment?

It was none of her business, and yet Cat speculated and she worried. Worried that Kara was living too far outside her means because of the responsibility she accepted when she took in Kalven. Responsibilities that she felt were hers to bear. Aside from that there was the little Kara had said about her family and friends being unsure about Kara's decision, pitying her, and telling her she shouldn't take Kalven in. Cat suspected they wouldn't possibly then be supplying additional income when they appeared to disapprove of Kara's decision.

Which riled Cat up more than she'd like to admit, and yet it wasn't her place to be upset at Kara's friends and family. They were her friends and family and Cat was…she was just Kara's employer and possible friend.

The only means Cat could logically fathom was that Kara was being supplied the money, but from who? Who had the wealth and power to just give Kara the money to raise Kalven?

Cat's eyes widened as the idea clicked in her head.

So, was _that_ what Diana Prince was? Kara's benefactor?

It would make sense. The woman had never been seen associating with Kara before now? When Kalven was living with her they were seen out on the town three times (Cat had missed the first two until she'd looked them up). Was Diana Prince here to whisk Kara away? Or was she here to play Kara's shinning Glamazon in armor?

Cat frowned as she bit her bottom lip.

Diana Prince might not just want Kara for her brain or capabilities, she could want Kara for her kindness and beauty and…Cat felt her heart clench…Diana might deserve Kara. Diana was giving Kara what she needed, she was being there for her when other's weren't, she was being a true friend. So what if that became something more? Maybe…maybe Kara deserved something more from a woman who wasn't afraid of her feelings. Just maybe Cat's jealousy would have to remain because Kara deserved the best, and Cat Grant, twice divorced with two sons (one of which was Kara's age), and enough emotional baggage and hindrances to fill a small country? Well, maybe she wasn't the best fit for Kara, and Diana was. Diana who had never been married, who could understand Kara's feelings of being an outsider, who could compete with Kara's strength and kindness and goodness.

Diana who could be open with Kara, be seen in public with her and feel no shame or worry.

Could Cat offer the same? Could she offer more?

No.

Probably not.

Cat wanted to offer Kara the world, but who was she—a mere mortal—to offer Kara anything she couldn't already take for herself (or be given)?

Kara was maturing and becoming more confident in who she was. She was becoming the woman Cat always knew she could be, the woman that lay beneath the glasses and the skirts and sweaters. She was finding a neutral ground between being Supergirl and being Kara Danvers, and being them at the same time. It was a gloriously breathtaking transition to witness. A transition…or even transformation…that Cat took the slightest bit of pride in.

Kara Danvers had turned a new corner in her life, and Cat longed to be there to watch her grow and thrive in it. Cat wanted to be the one to help her, support her, and adore her. Even if that meant from a far.

Sighing, Cat made her way towards her bedroom. It was time to call it a night. Her mind had been wandering and racing for hours at this point. She needed to get a good night's sleep before tomorrow's deadline.

As she turned off the lights in the apartment and made sure all doors and windows were locked, she smoothed out the wrinkles in her shirt. Once in her room she hung the shirt up and changed into a pair of comfortable pajamas. The dress she planned to wear at the gala on Friday evening—god was it already going to be Thursday when she woke up?—hung casually upon it's hanger. She smiled softly as she ran her finger over the soft material. It was custom made and was _perfect_.

Cat closed the closet door and went to settle on the edge of her bed—phone charger dutifully put into the phone.

Thinking of clothing...

Cat powered on her phone and typed out a message.

**Cat** : What has Supergirl decided to wear to the Gala? Tell me it isn't her suit and cape.

Cat had to wait several minutes for a response, but the phone buzzed in her hand and the message ribbon flashed across the top of her screen.

**Olsen** : Cat, it's after midnight.

**Cat:** Yes, I am aware of the time Ms. Olsen. Now. What is Supergirl planning to wear at the Gala.

**Olsen:** What's wrong with her cape?

Cat rolled her eyes, what was wrong with the super-suit? It was traditional. This was a formal gathering. Her super-suit would not do.

**Cat** : Tell her I will have a seamstress create a tasteful gown. In her colors with her family crest of course. Send me her measurements.

**Olsen:** I don't know if that's going to go-

Cat didn't read the rest of the text.

**Cat** : Measurements, Olsen. Not excuses.

Cat had to wait ten minutes for a response but the next text from James were the measurements.

Cat smiled. Perfect. Now she also just had to make sure that Kara Danver's dress looked nothing like the dress Cat had in mind for Supergirl.

**Cat** : Goodnight, Olsen. Make sure those photo edits are on my desk tomorrow morning.

-.-.-.-.-.-

Cat sat at her desk the next morning, hot latte in hand, though they never were as hot as Kara managed to keep them, cellphone pressed against her ear. "Yes, I need two additional gowns. And another suit suitable for a young man that matches one of the gowns."

"A young man, oh lala…tell me, have you finally found some eye candy to hang all over you?"

Cat felt like rolling her eyes. Outside of her office she saw Olsen and Winn at Winn's desk, whispering to each other. They kept looking in the direction of Kara's office as they spoke, their heads only a few inches apart. Cat tapped the edge of her glasses against her painted lips—this lipstick wasn't as terrible as she had first thought. The color had begun to finally deepen, as if it needed to be applied several times before the red hue would show. Strange, to think a lipstick would need to 'adjust' to the person wearing it, but she supposed these days' advancements in cosmetics shouldn't surprise her. Advancements in technology and medicine had stopped surprising her years ago after all. Sooner or later advancements would have to trickle down. Wouldn't they?

Disregarding the two whispering minions, Cat focused on her conversation once more. "Lily, the suit is for an eight-year-old. I sent you the measurements. I also expect the dress to be delivered tomorrow morning, afternoon at the latest."

"Oh, yes, of course. Where should I have them delivered to, your home or the office?"

"The office will do nicely."

"Fabulous. Now, let me get to work."

"Mmm…thank you, Lily."

Lily gasped on the other side of the line, "For you Cat? Anything. They'll be there tomorrow, late morning."

"Wonderful. Chao." Cat hung up and felt self-satisfied.

With as little flourish as possible Cat took a seat at her desk and noticed a large number of message slips waiting for her. With a smile, she got to work. Assured that today was going to be a good day. A busy day, but a good one nonetheless.

Humming softly to herself she picked up her office phone and started to put a dent in the messages she had.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was just about an hour and a half later when Kara came into her office, barely sparing the time to knock or announce herself. Cat looked up immediately and leaned back in her chair as she took a moment to appreciate the outfit Kara was wearing. It was a tasteful grey suit with a deep red blouse that was rumpled along the deep V at her chest. Kara's hair was also pulled back into a stylish slicked back bun, showing a great deal of skin along her neck, shoulders, and décolletage.

"You sent me flowers."

Cat tried to hide her shock at the 'straight to the point' attitude. It looked good on Kara, she always thought Kara could take some of her heroine traits into her alter ego, but who was she to say so?

"I did." Cat didn't feel the need to back down this time. Kara knew that she wanted more, she had made that clear yesterday. The ball was in Kara's court, but Cat didn't think it was unacceptable to maybe supply reasons why Kara should pass the ball back to her rather than the muscular brunette waiting along the opposing side lines.

Cat had woken up this morning thinking she had no chance with Kara, not when Diana Prince was in the running. But as she'd stared at herself in the mirror and applied Lois' dreaded lipstick…she couldn't help but think that maybe she should at least make sure Kara understood what it meant for Cat to be ' _in_ ' the running. Cat was what some would call, slick. Cat could surprise people with just how quickly she could slide beneath their well-built defenses.

Cat's life had been about studying people. She knew what to say, how to stay it, and when to say it. She knew how to read a situation, a person, she knew what she'd have to do to come out on top of the game. Cat knew how to get what she wanted. It took years of practice and of loss, but Cat knew just the right ways to press, the ways to caress, the ways to gentle her touch or press more firmly. to get She also knew that Kara was worth the effort. She always had been. Cat knew what she wanted: Kara. Now, she just had to make sure Kara knew that too.

Cat allowed herself her moments of weakness, of doubt. Now, well now the game was _on_ because Kara had known Cat wanted more than just friendship from her and she'd still kissed her cheek. She'd still smiled at her and given her that massage in the privacy of her town car.

Admitting to her own fears was step one. Admitting that she was better than her fears was step two. Step three, well that was what she was planning now: romance. Subtle, gentle, obvious, and passionate romance.

She wasn't letting Kara go so easily.

If Kara wanted to give her heart to Diana, Cat would let her and she would still be here for the Kryptonian. She would be a friend and an ear and anything Kara needed from her, because having Kara in her life was better than not having her at all. But if there was a chance that Kara wanted to give Cat her heart, then Cat was going to make sure Kara knew Cat would take care of it, treasure it.

"Why?" Kara tilted her head, to the side, as if she couldn't fathom why Cat would send her flowers to be nice.

Cat noticed the way stress lines spread across Kara's forehead and the creases under her eyes only seemed to deepen as she stared across the office at Cat.

"They reminded me of you." They were sun flowers and daisies and tulips, all bright and cheery and strong. Like Kara.

"I…I don't understand." There seemed to be genuine concern in Kara's eyes. "I don't know what it means…"

"It doesn't have to mean anything, Kara. Not unless you want it to."

Kara's eyes softened for a moment before they hardened once again and she spun on her heels and left Cat's office without another word.

Cat sighed, that hadn't gone as well as she'd hoped.

Cat noticed that Wittney seemed to be particularly focused on watching Kara walk away, his face easily broadcasting his concern over his friend. Cat wondered, if maybe there was something to be worried about.

Although Cat wanted to follow after Kara to assure her that the flowers really didn't have to mean anything, just…an offer of friendship…Cat had no time. Not two minutes after Kara came into her office and disappeared just as quickly, the marketing team filed in for their appointment with her.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cat was swamped beneath paperwork as she and all the heads of the departments attempted to pull together the missing touches for the Supergirl Anniversary issue. There was just something missing and Cat couldn't put her finger on it. All the ideas offered were useless and Kara, who often could save the day with a comment that inspired someone to bring the missing item to the table, had remained mum throughout the entire meeting.

Actually, come to think of it, Kara had basically been brooding through the whole meeting, arms crossed over her chest looking bored. Cat hadn't had the energy to comment on it as she'd been focused on the task at hand, but now as she thought back on it, she had to wonder what was bothering the young woman. Her mood had just continued to go downhill from how she'd been the day before.

The phone was ringing incessantly upon her desk the red light flicked 'on' as a call came through from Stephan.

"Miss Grant. You'll..."

"I said I was not to be disturbed."

"But Miss Grant..."

"No buts when I say I do not wish to be disturbed I do not mean..."

"It's Diana Prince. On the line. For you." Stephan rushed to say before Cat could continue to berate him.

"Diana..."

"Prince. Yes. I'm sorry but I figured you'd want to be disturbed."

Cat clicked her tongue and looked up from the speaker phone to stare at Stephan through the glass of her office. Holding his eyes, she picked up the phone and motioned for him to close her door. He jumped up to do so as she greeted the illustrious Amazon woman.

"Diana...how lovely to hear from you. I hadn't realized we were scheduled to speak today."

"We weren't." There was amusement in Diana's tone. Cat could work with amusement.

"Well, what do I owe the pleasure of your call? I hadn't realized you would call personally to schedule a time to meet."

"I'm doing...what you can say, is a favor, for Kara."

"A favor?" Cat hated not being in on the joke and by the continued tone of Diana's voice she seemed to think this was rather amusing. It irked Cat. She didn't take Diana Prince to be the sort of...jokester when it came to business. She would be truly disappointed if Diana had the same caviler personality as Bruce Wayne in his bachelor days.

"Yes. She seemed to be under the impression that you could benefit from an interview...exclusive interview...with me for your magazine. The Supergirl Anniversary issue, yes?"

Cat, despite her dislike of the woman on mere jealous principal alone, salivated at the words exclusive interview.

"When?" If they wanted the interview to be published for the issue it had to be today within the next five hours or they'd miss the print deadline and the magazine would go out without the missing piece it needed to really make it...a special anniversary issue. "When can you be free. I'll send my best journalist to you immediately, they can be to your location within the hour!" Even if she had to use the helicopter to get them there, by God she'd get them wherever they needed to be to get this interview.

Fifteen years. Fifteen long years and she'd never gotten the chance to do this interview but now...it was so close she could taste it.

"Oh no, no. You see, part of the deal was that I would give this interview to you. And only you."

Cat blinked, sure that she was dreaming. This had been a constant dream of hers when she still worked at the Planet and was constantly trying to one up Lois Lane. They had both fought tooth and nail to get this interview and to date, neither of them had. Though, if Cat's suspicions were correct—and she was starting to finally believe herself and her crazy mind tricks—then Lois had many opportunities to get an interview with Diana Prince, she'd just never been able to do so under the woman's actual name. Lois, after all, was the main journalist for The Justice League, and had interviewed Wonder Woman, Hawk Girl, and the Green Lantern before. Which, come to think of it, made Cat _seethe, and not just_ a little bit.

Of course Lois was able to get those interviews. She was sleeping with the leader of the Justice League for years! Married to him now too, for nearly ten years! Damn that woman. Damn her to hell.

The least Lois could do, now—to make up for it—was answer her damn phone!

"It'd be my pleasure. Would you like to have the meeting here in my office or…"

"Lunch. At Equinox. In an hour. Is that sufficient time?"

"Equinox, in an hour. I'll bring my best photographer."

"Hmmm…"

"He is a professional. James Olsen, formerly a photographer of the Planet." If Cat was correct in her deduction that Diana was Wonder Woman, then she would know James, would have had to save him a time or two with Superman.

"Very well, oh and Cat…" Cat felt the hairs on the back of her neck rise suddenly. "I look forward to getting to know you."

The line clicked and Cat sat clutching her phone as she wondered what she had just gotten herself into. Or better yet, what had Kara gotten her into?

**End Part Eight**

* * *

 


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diana and Cat have a heart to heart.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay. My muse got caught up in other stories in this fandom. I plan to work on chapter 10 during my next Thursdays Are For Fanfics session/writing challenge, so hopefully it'll be up soon-ish. I make no promises. But I hope you'll enjoy this chapter and the meeting between Cat and Diana and you feel it was worth the wait.

 

* * *

**Part 9**

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cat strolled purposefully into her office. There were several editors standing in their office, watching as she pivoted around Stephan's desk and made a bee line for her desk. Two hours. She had two hours before the final copy of the Trib went to print. Stephan tripped over his feet in his haste to follow her into the office.

"Get me Marleen and that researcher….Trenton, Traymore…something. Get them in here, but first get me Olsen. He's had an hour to find an idea of how he is going to change the front page. Get an estimated time for me to view the first mock up." As if she remembered at the last minute. "Make a copy of my notes." Cat threw her notebook at Stephan. "Make copies for Marleen and Traymore. And once you've gotten them have them work on fact checking, I am not to be disturbed."

"Of course, Miss Grant." Stephan was already running to his desk before Cat had finished giving her directions. His hand on the phone from the opposite side of his desk. There was an energy in the air that Cat absorbed eagerly. Cat was practically vibrating with the way this energy moved through the room.

This was going to be one of the best issues of the Trib, if not the best to date, perhaps surpassing the Supergirl issue last year. She could _feel_ it.

Smiling, Cat pulled out her laptop and got to work on writing her story.

An hour and forty-seven minutes later the story she'd written had been edited by Marleen, the facts checked by Trevor, and James had a beautiful cover ready to go to print. The final edit of the Supergirl Anniversary was sent to the printers.

It would be printed with extra copies. Once word reached by the masses thanks to their social media team and marketing team—spear headed by Kara this time—news of Diana Prince's exclusive two part tell-all interview would be common knowledge in time for everyone to swarm to get their copies. Part one released in the Supergirl Anniversary and the other with the following publication.

Cat leaned back in her chair and smiled as she watched the bullpen congratulate one another on a job well done through the reflections of the TV's in front of her. She'd turned them off to help concentrate on writing her article as the outside noise, which usually spurred her on, had become a distraction in the midst of her frenzy.

Cat hid her pride over their good work by keeping her back turned to the bullpen. Her staff really had hit this one out of the park.

Cat saw Kara approaching the office, smiling softly as she strolled right into Cat's office even with the doors closed. The sounds of the celebration filtered in for the few moments the doors were open.

"I hear the boss gave off everyone but the skeleton crew tomorrow as a job well done."

Cat spun her chair around and watched as Kara settled into Cat's couch.

"I did."

"That was nice of you."

Cat shrugged her shoulders, "Always keep them guessing, Kara. The day you become predictable is the day you will find a knife in your back."

"Sage advice…I think." Kara stated slowly as if she were trying to comprehend how such good advice had turned so sour so quickly. "Will you be in tomorrow?"

"Of course I will be. Only for half the day, as there is much to be done for the gala. Stephan has done a fabulous job coordinating it with your team. But don't tell him I said that!" Cat stood from her chair and made her way over to the liquor cabinet. She grabbed two glasses and filled them with M&Ms. She took the seat next to Kara and handed her the second glass.

Kara smiled and the two clinked their glasses together before they picked at the chocolate treats.

The silence between them was comfortable. There may be a lot hanging in the air between them that had gone unsaid, but for now, they were content. There was no need to discuss the inner meanings of Cat's gestures; or how Kara had responded, there was no reason to discuss anything at all really. They could be themselves and relax, knowing that they were safe as they sat beside each other.

When Cat looked at Kara she could tell that Kara was still brimming with tension. It was in the way Kara held her shoulders and the flex of her fingers around the glass cup she was cradling. There was a crease just by the side of Kara's eyes that detailed just how much… _something_ …was affecting her.

The bullpen was slowly emptying out as the minutes continued to pass. The clocks of many employees chimed to signify the end of the day.

The day had gone exceptionally well. To think, just last night, Cat had been afraid of showing her affection for Kara.

Although Kara hadn't yet told Cat how she wanted the flowers to be given. Were they just between friends? Co-workers? Something more than friends but less than lovers? Cat was still hopeful.

Cat felt her heart rate spike at the merest idea of Kara as her lover. Kara was physically gorgeous, anyone who took the time to look could easily see just how beautiful Kara was on the outside. It was only a privileged few who knew just how beautiful Kara was on the inside, as a person, as well.

Cat Grant knew Kara's beauty, she appreciated it for what it was inside and out. It took only a moment to realize that Kara was special. A young woman who'd stood at her desk and told her that she was nothing but ordinary and she just wanted to help people, she just wanted to help Cat—as if just helping Cat would ever be enough for Kara!

Kara was born to be so much more than ordinary, to help more than just Cat, and now that Kara had embraced that within herself everyone saw just how special she was—as Supergirl. Those who knew the girl hidden away from the cape and crest, those few could truly be awed by just how marvelous Kara Danvers was, knew she was to be admired even as 'plain old ordinary Kara Danvers'.

Diana Prince, was one of the select few who knew just how incredible Kara was.

Cat smirked as she picked up a red and blue M&M. Diana Prince hadn't given Kara's secrets away, not in so many words, but Cat read between the lines. It was suddenly very easy to understand the messages hidden behind obscure statements, especially when she knew just who Diana and Kara were when they weren't pretending to be human.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Cat strode through the gallery of the Equinox with a single purpose in mind: Find Diana Prince. The moment her eyes fell upon Diana she felt her temperature spike, a boiling set of nerves beginning to stew within her stomach. Pushing those nerves aside, Cat Grant squared her shoulders and approached the table off to the back corner of the restaurant. Diana sat with her back to the wall behind her, her line of sight easily able to locate all exits. It was a strategic position; one Cat would expect from a military veteran.

"Cat…" Diana smiled as she stood slowly from her seat to greet her guest. Beneath the power suit that Ms. Prince wore Cat could almost see the sinewy muscles flexing as the woman moved fluidly from her seat. Ever the gentlewoman Diana pulled out Cat's chair for her and a bit aghast—normally Cat would not allow this type of treatment from the men she dated—she took the seat and needn't wonder how Diana so easily pushed the chair in towards the table with Cat's weight on it.

"I'm glad you could join me on such short notice." Diana took her seat and waved a waiter, who had been standing off to the side just waiting for her signal, over to the table. "I hope you don't feel rushed, but I do only have the next seventy-five minutes. And I am _famished_."

What was Cat to say? She was being given an ample opportunity here. "Of course not. Please, order what you'd like. I'm afraid I've already eaten lunch."

"Surely you can be convinced to have a bit more to eat?" Diana asked, her eyes sparkling as she took in Cat's petite frame.

Cat smiled charmingly, "A little something more wouldn't hurt."

"Wonderful!" Diana turned to the waiter then and placed her order in perfect French. The corner of Cat's lips quirked upward at the accent. It seemed as much as she wished to despise the woman in front of her, she could also be impressed.

Cat placed her order, in French—because she wasn't about to be outdone so soon in this meeting—and waited until the waiter slipped away.

Cat sat quietly, aware that there was a time restraint upon their meeting, and yet she remained silent. Waiting. She had played this game before. She would wait for her subject to begin speaking. Silence often times made people uncomfortable. As did the way Cat would stare at them as if she could see through the masks they wore and could uncover their deepest darkest secrets with just her eyes.

Diana, however, seemed unaffected by Cat's tactics. The woman sipped casually at her glass of lemon water, and held Cat's eyes. It was as Diana was staring at Cat, her hand deposing the glass of water back upon the table, that her lips curved into a pleasurable smile. "I see now why, Karlena likes you."

"Karlena…" Cat repeated, confusion coloring her eyes and voice.

"Yes, you referred to her as…Keira…for some time, I believe. I, had my own endearment for Kara while she worked for me as well."

Cat felt a flush begin at the back of her neck. "You've known her long enough for her to have told you that?"

"Oh yes, I have known Karalena…" Diana enunciated in that special way she and Kalven often did, "…for many years."

"Since she worked as an intern at your company?"

"Yes, she is a brilliant engineer. Do not let her act fool you. If she had wished it, she could have done wonderfully for herself in Research and Technology."

"She's never really been able to fool me." Cat's tone was too soft, too warm, and sounded too found even to her ears. "Not many people can fool me." Though, Cat was kicking herself for not realizing sooner who Diana was. Leave it to a bottle of aged synthenol to help her see beyond the veil.

"Why agree to meet with me to give an interview, when for years you have made it a point to remain out of the lime light?" Cat asked, "Surely your friendship with _Kara_ …" Cat pronouncement of Kara's name was as it always had been. "…is not close enough to warrant such an out of character decision."

Diana's eyes narrowed, her lips drawing in as if she'd tasted something tart. "Perhaps you do not know her as well as you think you do."

"How well I know Kara was not my question."

"No, your question was not answered. But then again, you have not asked the question you truly wished answered."

Cat's eyes narrowed. No, she had not asked the question she wanted to but if she began asking the questions she desired answered the most she would never get her interview. "Why have you agreed to meet with me to give an interview I've been trying to get with you for nearly twenty years?"

"You already know the answer to that."

"Yes, I do know. But knowing and understanding are two very different things, Ms. Prince."

Diana tilted her head to the side as if she came upon a revelation. "You truly do not understand do you?" Cat's silence was answer enough. " _She_ is the only reason I have agreed to meet with you. That and my own desire to see for myself the type of woman it is that has captured her affections so whole heartedly."

Cat suddenly felt dizzy. " _Affections_?!"

"Oh, my dear, Miss Grant. You do not see what is right before you, do you?"

"I'm near sighted." Cat used the excuse lamely, otherwise truly unsure what to say as she felt her heart race dangerously against her chest. Affections, whole heartedly…Kara was giving Cat her affections whole heartedly? That surely didn't mean what Cat hoped, prayed, begged, it to mean, did it?

Olsen, who had joined Cat in the car to the restaurant, stood off to the side—almost completely unnoticed by the two women—and snapped shot after shot of the two power-houses as they spoke.

"I call Kara, Karlena because of what the two names mean. Karla is old Germanic for free, freedom. Lena…in Greek, it means sunlight. In Aribic it is tender, devoted. So you see, I call Kara by a name that suits her. For she is tender, devoted, and as free and bright as the sunlight she allows us to bask in beside her."

Cat's breath caught in her throat. "You love her." It was not an accusation, but a sudden understanding.

Diana smiled, sadly, her eyes expressing a true pain in them as she reached for her water glass once again. "Yes, I do."

Cat mulled over the admission as she tried to keep the world from tilting on its axis enough to knock her off her feet.

Diana's eyes followed her hand as she placed the glass upon the table, gently, the condensation on the glass dripping slowly to the cloth beneath. "I waited too long. You see, I thought she was too young for me, too innocent, too," Diana waved her hand around as she put her champagne flute down. "...pure. So I let her leave so she could spread her wings. Now, she's spread her wings, she's grown, matured, come into her own." Not in small part to the mentorship she had with Cat, but Diana said nothing of that. "And I came here, I followed her, hoping she might find something worthy in our friendship to give me the chance I did not take all those years ago."

"The chance to what?" As poetic as Diana could be, she was also being particularly vague.

Diana smiled as she watched the liquid in her glass slosh around in circles as she twisted the stem of the glass. "To hold her heart."

Cat felt sick to her stomach as she listened to Diana whisper about her feelings for Kara, the reasons why she let Kara leave hitting far too close to home for her own liking.

"But I, well," Diana finally looked up and away from her glass. "She's already found someone to hold her heart. And so, I had to meet them. To see for myself that they were worthy of her. So..." Diana leaned forward, her eyes growing a darker shade as she seemed to suddenly command the light around her to emanate a darker shadow-an aura of power and silent promises of pain. "Tell me, Miss Grant. Are you worthy of her heart?"

Was this what it felt like to have your world turned upside down? To not know up from down or right to left. Was this real? Did having your world suddenly shift violently create such a mix of emotions that you didn't know whether to laugh, cry, smile, frown, or throw up?

Cat's stomach was rolling to and fro as if she were on a roller coaster, her sense of equilibrium just as jarred. She almost wanted to ask Diana to repeat herself. Just so she could be sure that Diana was asking, what Cat prayed she was actually asking.

Was Cat worthy of Kara's heart? In Cat's opinion; no. No she was not.

Cat was too jaded and cynical and too set in her ways to be loved and love a woman as brilliant and vibrant as Kara Danvers. And yet that meant nothing because she loved her anyway. Just as it seemed, Kara loved her.

"I will never believe myself worthy of such a gift. Kara is...she is...extraordinary." Cat stared just above Diana's shoulder a soft, fond, delicate smile blossoming over her lips, her eyes glazing over with warmth at the mere thought of Kara. "I would do almost anything for her."

"Almost anything?" Diana pressed, distrustful.

"Yes, my sons and Kalven. They would be the only things that I would put before or beside Kara. And I know Kara would do the same with Kalven."

Diana's eyes widened, "You would accept Kalven as your own?"

Cat stared at Diana, wondering why she felt like there was more to her tone regarding Kalven then was clear. Perhaps Diana knew more about why Kara seemed so set in raising him alone, the guilt and the pity Kara accused Cat of holding towards their situation.

"That boy deserves nothing less from the person Kara accepts as her partner." Lover sounded far too intimate to discuss with this woman. And Cat didn't want to be cruel. To either of them. "You truly believe she...she cares for me?"

"No." Diana leaned back in her chair, seemingly having found what she'd been looking for moments ago.

"Oh..." Cat tried not to let her hope burst.

"I do not need to believe it. She has told me herself of her love for you. And of your son and she would not lie to me."

Cat's eyes widened, "She's told you?"

"That is why I am meeting with you. That, and she asked it of me." Diana finished her champagne and poured herself another glass.

Cat was euphoric. But she had enough tact to tamper down on her growing elation at the obvious pain Diana was feeling. She herself had only just accepted the possibility of Kara returning her feelings because she believed this woman held Kara's interest. To know, because she believed Diana, that Kara loved her. It was... _incredible_!

"I will be returning to Metropolis soon and I needed to ensure her heart's safety. She is very special to me. As is Kalven."

"I would do whatever was in my power to help either of them. I...I love Kara and I already love Kalven."

Diana inclined her head slightly. "You will be expected to do far more than may be fair. But I believe you. You do not strike me as a liar. I hope you feel the same in regards to me so you will believe me when I say that if you hurt her, or Kalven, in any way, you will pay so dearly for your folly that you will wish for death."

Cat kept a stoic expression even as her organs dropped to her feet. "If that day comes then I will have deserved it."

"Yes, you would." Diana broke eye contact and smiled politely at the waiter who had returned with their appetizers. Once he was out of war shot Diana spoke again, "Now that we have settled our personal matters. You have a few questions for me?"

"Yes, do you mind if I record..." Diana waved at the phone Cat placed on the table, seemingly unconcerned as Cat also pulled out a notebook and the 'real' interview began.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Will you join me for dinner on Saturday evening?" Cat asked, her conversation with Diana playing over and over again in her mind's eye.

Kara's eyes widened as she twisted her head slowly to look at Cat. Truly look at her, her eyes were piercing through her as if searching for something.

"I, I would love to..." Cat's eyes brightened at the acceptance. "...but I have dinner plans with Kalven and Diana. She's leaving for Metropolis on Sunday."

Cat was disappointed, but the jealousy she'd felt spark whenever Kara picked Diana over her was short lived. It eased her mind tremendously to know that Kara loved her, even when Diana was a viable and eager option. Even if Kara herself hadn't come out and said it to her yet. She could be patient. After all, she hadn't told Kara how she felt yet either. Besides, dinner seemed like the safer option all around.

"Perhaps another tihm..."

"I'll be free for lunch!"

Cat blinked at the volume of Kara's quick response.

Kara cringed, probably at the desperation in her voice while Cat couldn't help the small smile that spread slowly across her face at the obvious excitement that seemed to have sparked within Kara's eyes.

"Lunch would be lovely." Kara's smiling was breathtaking. "It's a date." Cat clarified, watching as Kara's eyes darkened and her cheeks reddened. "I will pick you up at, noon?"

"Yes, that'd be…great. Uhm…" Kara nervously moved her glasses as she found something interesting to stare at upon the floor. "Thank you."

Cat was confused, was she being thanked for inviting Kara to lunch?

"For?"

"The flowers…and…lunch." Kara sucked in a short breath, her eyes skimming past Cat's for a moment before she focused on her fiddling fingers that rested nervously in her lap. "Your bravery." Kara's cheeks flushed the softest hue of pink Cat had ever seen, and yet it warmed her heart as if the color along was as strong and bright as a burning star.

"Your worth being brave for, Kara." Cat reached out her hand and squeezed the fidgeting digits, the warmth beneath her hand sending tendrils of energy from her palm up the length of her arm to course through the rest of her body as it would.

The way Kara stared at her in wonder made Cat think Kara had no idea just how worth, _everything_...Kara was.

"I hope I can prove that to you."

As nervous as Kara appeared, Cat was elated to feel the young woman's fingers still their nervous movements. The way they slipped between Cat's own fingers, threading their hands together, was like a balm on Cat's damaged outer shell. The softest of touches, of movements, and she felt as if the cracks she tried so hard to hide, began to heal. The touch like a stich that worked its way slowly over each wound and closed it with gentle care and offered the promise of a better, fuller, tomorrow.

Cat squeezed Kara's hand and rested it upon the couch between them. Content. Happy. Eager to see what the next day brought her.

**End Part Nine**


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kara confronts Cat over an extravagant gift but the confrontation turns ugly faster than either woman would like.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always the response to this story is so wonderful. Thank you. I appreciate everyone that comes around to this little corner of the Supergirl femslash (Supercat) fandom and takes a gander. The next few chapters all kind of go hand in hand and I hope you'll enjoy them as questions posed in this chapter will get answered in chapter 11 or chapter 12.

 

**Part 10**

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kara barged into the office without an appointment and with a look of contempt upon her beautiful face.

It seemed barging into Cat's office was Kara's new past time.

Cat could hardly count how many times the gorgeously enraged superhero had stormed into her office in the last week. Tensions were running high, but this was different. Kara was acting out, bolder, and Cat had to pretend not to enjoy it.

There was, of course, enough for Cat to be concentrating on outside of her feelings for Kara's new gumption, wardrobe, and Cat's personal revelations about her feelings, and the secrets that Diana had divulged to her not 24 hours ago.

The Gala for instance, which was being held tonight.  
Or…  
The fact that Cat hadn't heard back from Lois in two days.  
Or…  
The fact that she'd invited Kara to dinner on Saturday and the girl had—in a roundabout way—said yes.  
Or…  
If all the above failed there was the fact that today was Kara's last day in the office before her approved family leave.

The idea of not seeing Kara—although she saw less of her than before thanks to her promotion—caused an ache to throb within Cat's chest. She was going to miss the charming idealistic young hero and her dazzling smiles and feeling that way made her think of herself as a fool. A slightly desperate fool to begin having contact with Kara outside of the office so she didn't lose all connections to her for the next several months.

The constant internal description of Kara as beautiful, gorgeous, feisty; just about any positive adjective Cat could think of, wasn't exactly new, but it was different.

The quantity of how many times a day she found herself thinking about Kara tripled in the last four days. She couldn't help herself and it was beginning to show in her work. She had to double check items presented to her because the first time she went through them all she could think about was:

Kara wouldn't have made this type of mistake  
Kara would have known not to have been so stupid  
Kara would have presented her with answers not questions…

Those compliments would spiral from there.

Soon she would be thinking about how Kara's sense of fashion, although young and hipster, was still sophisticated and her own. Thoughts of her fashion sense migrated to her assets, physical assets, and how certain blouses made it hard to concentrate on her eyes during a conversation, or how skirts and particular pants always drew Cat's eyes towards her posterior.

All in all, Cat's thoughts had been driving her mad.

Now, Kara stood in her office glaring at her for something that she had done or not done and Cat was worried. _Worried_!

Had she truly done something to deserve the young woman's ire? Quickly scanning her thoughts, she couldn't think of anything at all that would cause Kara to barge into her office as she was, close the doors behind her, and point to the balcony.

Kara opened her mouth and said two works: "The balcony."

"What is it you think you're doing?" Cat put her glasses down upon her desk as she eyed her former assistant cautiously.

"Now, Miss Grant!" Kara started walking towards the balcony without looking to see if Cat was following.

Cat stood slowly from her desk and saw Stephan staring into the office with his hand hovering over his phone. She shook her head and belayed his actions of calling security. It seemed her new assistant had been duly warned about the ire of ex-assistants and protocol to call security when they rushed into her office unannounced looking ready to maim and murder.

Cat took a moment to compose herself as she closed the doors to her balcony and stared at her reflection. The soft pinkish hue upon her lips a constant reminder that Cruella hadn't answered her yet, and today was the end of their agreement. After tonight she would never have to wear the odd lipstick again.

Sucking in a slow, deep breath, Cat turned to face Kara, unsurprised to see the young woman pacing back and forth across the balcony. The last time she had seen Kara this agitated had been the night she was thrown off her balcony.

Even with that thought Cat didn't even falter. Her trust in Kara was absolute. And perhaps it was that realization that shook and scared her most.

"You cannot continue this type of behavior, Kara. You are taking liberties that are not yours to take."

Kara's pacing finally stopped. She pulled out a piece of paper from somewhere and waved it in the air.

"What is this?" Kara held up what appeared to be a letter, written on CatCo stationary.

"You are going to have to explain what… _that_ …is as I do not have my glasses due to your –"

Kara cut her off and snapped the paper so it was flat and she could read it aloud, " _Dear Ms. Danvers...as a valued member of the CatCo community we would like to offer you our sincerest congratulations on welcoming a new member into your family. Your professional family here at CatCo could not be happier for you. We wish you and your family continued happiness and joy. We hope this gift will assist with all the early needs of adding on to your family unit. Sincerely CatCo Community."_

Cat listened attentively wondering if there was more to the standard letter that Cat insisted be sent to new parents, mothers and fathers, along with a $5,000 check. She'd instituted the program ten years ago and found several worldwide companies like hers followed suit. There was a line in the budget for these gifts and it usually broke even or they had surpluses that she didn't need to be thinking about right now.

Cat felt uneasy. There was something in the way Kara was staring at the letter in her hands that set her nerves on edge. Like she was about to be caught rifling through her mother's purse. "That is a letter sent to all CatCo employees when it is brought to our attention that they are adopting or expecting a child. I do not see why..."

Kara's eyes were like pointed fingers, they stopped Cat short as soon as they looked up and stared pointedly at her. "Oh, I'm not finished yet."

The confidence that Cat had been admiring for the last few weeks was suddenly quite irritating.

"Please, then, continue." Cat snarked as she crossed her arms and pointedly stared at Kara, waiting for her to go on.

Kara turned the page to reveal there was a second letter. Cat's heart spiked and sweat beaded on her palms, suddenly very nervous but she would be damned if she showed it.

_"Dear Kara,_

_I have personally known you for three years. Let me be one of many to congratulate you and commend you for all that you are doing for your cousin. It is truly a selfless act to take this responsibility on at such a young age. Understanding that your job is not easy and the weeks to pass will be one of transitions, we all hope you know we're here for you. As you have been there for us in the past. Helping new mothers put together their cribs, setting up security systems, hosting bachelorette parties, baby showers, and making sure a friendly face was always present in a time of need._

_Normally you scourer around for the collections often given to co-workers who are going on leave for family emergencies, the birth of a child, a recent graduation, or accreditation for their work. But now that the collection is for you, it was Miss Grant who headlined this one. She always includes money on collections but she contributed far more for you from her personal funds._

_I thought you should know that she worked very hard to make sure everyone who knows you contributed. She'd find it embarrassing of course to know that I am giving up her secret, but I know you deserve to know just how much you are appreciated and cared for, by all of us, but especially Miss Grant. Good luck Kara, and please know you have a large and eager support system here at CatCo for anything you need._

_Sincerely,_

_Hannah Grant."_

Cat knew her cheeks were dusted with red. She turned away from Kara when the girl looked pointedly at her after she finished reading. Cat was going to kill Hannah. Just because she was her ex-sister in law she thought she could get away with murder. She would definitely be speaking with her Chief Human Resource Officer about her unprofessional, over personalized letter.

Cat knew, without Kara having to say a word, that there were two checks in her hands that totaled enough money for Kara to take off for the next year if she needed the time.

Cat would not talk first. She would wait Kara out. She would not say a single thing. This was not the time to blather on with the truth of the matter which was...

"Think of it as the raises you never got for the first two years, compensation for working all those extra unpaid hours, or however you will." Cat waved her hand in the air, speaking first. Unable to bear the silence and the edge to Kara's eyes.

Kara's hand squeezed around the edges of the letter, beginning to crumple the paper. "I won't be your charity case."

"That is not charity, _Kiera..."_ Cat reverted to the name in a moment of frustration. Why must Kara constantly think her actions were prompted due to some untoward emotion, feeling, desire?

"I will not take this based off of some...some...pity party you have on my behalf for the things I told you last night. Things I want…I'm not someone you have to fix or save. I'm more than capable of taking care of myself!"

"Don't be silly, Kara! This has nothing to do with anything you've told me in the last few days!"

They hadn't spent much time talking last night. Kara had needed to get home to Kalven and Cat had a lot of work to catch up on before she could go home to Carter. They hadn't discussed much, not about the things that were changing between them or how their relationship was on the cusp of an evolutionary change that would either make or break them.

Cat had faith that it would be the former. When Cat and Kara put their heads together there was nothing that they couldn't accomplish. Being in a relationship would be no different. At least Cat hoped it wouldn't.

"Bullshit!"

Cat grit her teeth, "I do _not_ **pity** _**you**_."

"Then what is this!?" Kara waved the letters and the check in the air like they were a flag and she held some deep connection to the country it represented.

Cat cursed, why was she suddenly on a truth telling kick? Why could she not stand the idea of lying to Kara? To anyone?

"Well?" Cat felt her stomach tighten at the sight of tears in Kara's eyes. The girl dashed at them quickly, angry that they existed. "I can take care of Kalven without you and your charity."

Cat took a step towards Kara, but Kara stepped away immediately. It stopped Cat short. The hand that she had been lifting to touch Kara, to try and ground the two of them, fell back to her sides. She swallowed thickly and shuffled her weight a little as she settled a step away from Kara.

"I do not doubt that you can take care of him. That you will love him and make him welcome and do everything to protect him, teach him." Cat wanted to step closer to Kara and place a soft hand on the young woman's shoulder. She wanted a physical contact to exist so Kara could _feel_ that what she was saying was true.

"I just wanted to help you as I can." Cat shrugged her shoulders, "I cannot change how this is effecting you emotionally. But financially," Cat nodded, "Financially I can. I can help you find the best schools, the best therapists, the best realtors. I can do _that_." It wasn't near enough, or what Cat wanted to do, but it was a start. "I have influence and debts owed to me and I want to _help you_. And if I can only help you this way, this _**small**_ way, well damn it Kara! Why can't you just let me?!"

"This isn't help! This is a bribe!" Kara shook the check again to emphasize what she considered the bribe. As if Cat didn't already know.

Cat backed away from Kara. She crossed her arms over her chest to protect herself from the way Kara was looking at her. Like she was the old fool she knew she was for ever thinking she could have enough strength to offer Kara anything in her time of need.

"Why can't you let me help you, like you've helped me?" Cat's voice was soft, small. "Why can't I do something nice for someone I care about without there being strings?" Cat walked to the edge of the balcony and looked out over the city and the people going about their lives, unaware that Cat Grant had worked herself into a full blown tizzy.

Kara softened in her frustrations, if only slightly. "I can do this on my own, Cat. I _need_ to be able to do this on my own. This, this money would just be enabling me. I can't take it."

"I have no doubt you can take care of Kalven. I have no doubt that you will be a wonderful care giver and help him in ways no one else can. And maybe the gift is selfish. I want, I _need_ to know, that you can focus on him alone. That you don't need to worry about something like _money_." Cat laughed, truly laughed at how pathetic she sounded. "I have more money than I'll ever need. Besides, I…I didn't give as much as Hannah is saying. She's just exaggerating." Cat waved her hand dismissively in the air, refusing to look at Kara. "You deserve much more than that check. But I know it will help ease any monetary burdens. At least until you come back to work."

"That's what it is, right? Incentive to make sure I come back to CatCo? That I don't leave?"

Cat shot a look over her shoulder at Kara, wondering where the bitter, angry, hurtful insinuation came from. Surely her gift wasn't the true reason for Kara's anger. It was just an easy outlet. She was the easy target.

"Of everyone Kara, I thought…" Cat blinked slowly, the air making her eyes burn with unshed tears, "…you would know me better than that."

Kara's eyes widened as Cat turned her back to her again and wrapped her arms more tightly around herself. This time she did not do so in frustration but in sadness, for protection.

"Miss Grant..." Cat didn't turn around or appear to have even heard Kara. "Cat…" Kara whispered, her voice soft as it floated upon the morning air. The young woman felt anxious in her need to have Cat look at her.

Kara stepped closer but at the shuffle of her feet Cat raised a hand and stopped her forward progress.

"Get back to work."

"But Cat..."

" _Now_ , Kara." Cat had never talked to Kara in that tone of voice before. It was fierce and angry, it was the way her voice sounded when she argued with her ex-husband and the Board of Directors. Kara had heard it before but it had never been directed at her. The sound of it hurt almost as much as the dismissal.

Kara opened her mouth to say something else but found she couldn't speak. So she dropped her head and went back into the building, leaving Cat to stare out at the sky scrapers by herself.

When the sliding doors closed behind Kara, Cat's shoulders sagged. She wiped angrily at her cheeks, the chill in the air making her eyes run. The last thing she needed was for her makeup to run. Cat stepped away from the edge and took a heavy seat on the outdoor couch. Scrubbing at her cheeks for a moment she rolled her shoulders and leaned back into the seat. She needed to compose herself. She was only giving herself a moment to wallow in the sting of Kara's insinuation.

Kara was frustrated and something was hurting her. Cat knew that, but she knew _she_ wasn't the real cause. There was anger beneath Kara's anger at her, and Cat had a sinking suspicion it had to do with her family and friends and the way they all kept looking at her. Winn and James were always staring at Kara like they were just waiting for her to snap, to break under the weight of her responsibilities. Cat wondered if they were just watching and waiting, or if they were trying to help. The useless lot of them.

Breathing in deeply Cat readied herself to get back to work. There was a lot to do before tonight's gala and for the first time all week she was determined not to spend any of that time thinking about Kara Danvers.

Whatever was bothering Kara they could discuss after the gala, on Sunday afternoon at lunch. Then, in a private setting, they could discuss how each of their actions or words had hurt each other. They could not do this now, not at the office, not while Cat sat on her balcony breaking her number one rule: no crying at work.

Hardening herself by straightening her posture Cat stood from her perch and made her way back into her office. There was a lot to get done between now and this evening.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

By one pm, Cat was ready to leave the office. She had sent Stephen to the venue of the gala tonight to make sure everything was properly prepared.

Cat received a confirmation text from Lily that the dresses for Kara had been delivered and the tux for Kalven that would match both, no matter Kara's choice, were delivered. Yet, Kara never returned to her office to thank her. She received no text, no phone call. Nothing. Radio silence. It was almost as bad as the silence that had existed between them right after they'd stopped Myriad and Supergirl had almost died, and Kara had called in to take personal days due to a family emergency. It wasn't for almost two weeks that Cat even learned about Kalven. Then during the time that Kara was gone there were sightings of Supergirl all over Metropolis with Wonder Woman and Superman and that Bat.

Cat had wanted to call Kara, to ensure that everything truly was okay, but she didn't and she didn't ask Olsen about Kara every day. She asked every other day and she would mix it up by asking Winn one day and then James the next.

It had been a constant struggle with herself on whether she should simply demand they tell her what was going on, or let Kara come to her in her own time.

Cat Grant wasn't a patient woman, but for those two weeks, she was. Then, when Kara came back to work she requested a meeting with Cat and informed her that she was taking in her cousin, whose parents had died but there was some complications and she was probably going to need more days –which she had saved in surpluss—but she promised to do her job and keep up the standards that everyone expected of her.

Cat had wanted to offer Kara any support she could but she'd been too shunted to offer it then. Instead, she told Kara to take the time she needed as she needed it and to come to her if she needed any help, Cat had the names of the best family court lawyers after all.

For months Cat was forced to watch from afar as Kara stressed herself to the point of breaking. Kara never came to her. Never asked for her help. Sometimes though, she would just come into Cat's office late at night and sit quietly on the couch. Cat would offer her a cup of M&Ms and they would stay like that. Silent. Kara never spoke of the problems she was facing and Cat never asked. She was patient.

But sooner or later patience wears thin, and Cat's had long since worn practically away.

So now she asked questions. She offered herself up as an outlet for Kara, made herself available to the younger woman to talk to. She invited her to her home where they could talk. She gave Kara the same safe place she'd always found in her, she just offered Kara more time in it.

And now look what that had done.

It'd opened herself up, made her vulnerable, and susceptible to pain. Pain that she thought herself long since over. Kara hadn't even insulted her—not outright, and yet Kara's distrust and her lack of understanding of Cat's motives hurt more than any name calling she'd faced in her last fifty years on this earth.

Cat supposed this is what happened when you opened your heart to someone who had the power to build you to new heights or bury you beneath the soles of their feet.

Cat passed the empty desk of her assistant, Stephen long since at the venue for the gala this evening, her eyes locked with the elevator. It was time to put her mask back up and get herself back into the grove of running a multimillion dollar company. Cat was standing in front of the silver doors when her phone rang. She continued her short trek into her private elevator as she pulled her cellphone from her bag. With a sigh of relief and frustration she answered the call.

"Lane…!" Cat growled into the small speaker of her phone. "You have some nerve not answering me."

"Aww, Alley Cat, were you worried?"

"Yes, which is beside the point." Cat rolled her eyes. "It better have been a life or death situation that kept you from answering me." The router Cat had placed in the mechanical death trap kept her from losing Lois' call as the elevator made it's slow decent to the first floor.

"Well, about that. I actually was on my way to National City when a few delays popped up."

"Oh, coming for a little unplanned visit? Whatever did National City do to deserve such a thing?" Cat smiled at her own joke as she stepped out of her elevator and made her way towards the exit.

"Cat, listen." Lois sighed heavily. "It's actually important that I speak with you in person. As soon as possible."

Cat felt her heart stutter within her chest, "Why?" Lane was only serious when there really _were_ life or death situations to be worried about. "Lane, start talking or I swear to-"

"Hey there, Catheryn."

Cat stopped walking and turned, her phone still pressed against her ear, to stare at the sight of Lois Lane kicking her heels against the tile floor of her office building. Cat made her way over to her frienemy, only taking a moment to turn off her phone.

"Well, isn't this a surprise. Can whatever it is you need to tell me be done on the go?" Cat asked, internally hoping that Lois said yes. If it did, then everything would turn out alright. If Lois insisted that they find a place to speak privately, like back up in her office, and where she could sit and break down without prying eyes, then it was truly horrific news.

"Sure, I'll tag along with you."

"Where's Kent?" Cat asked as she led Lois to the curb where her town car was waiting.

The driver opened the door for the both of them and Cat slid into the vehicle, every part of her being was on edge.

"He's catching up with Olsen and Lucy. They had a few things they needed to catch up on." The door was shut behind Lois and Cat gave the driver directions to bring them to the hotel room she had rented for the evening.

Cat went over her time table quickly in her mind. Carter's nanny was going to be bringing him there later as he wanted to attend the gala. Her dress and accessories had already been delivered and her hair stylist and make-up artist would arrive within the next two hours.

"So, spill it Lane. Why'd you come 3,000 miles to talk to me?"

Lois sighed and clapped her hands down on her knees, her fingers drumming nervously on them as she bit her bottom lip. "It has to do with the lipstick I sent you."

"Ah yes, the mystery behind the red lipstick." Cat pulled the hand crafted tube out from her purse and held it in the air between them. "I've been wearing it as agreed. Even if you haven't responded in over twenty-four hours."

"I know you have been. And that's the problem." Lois sighed as she tried to snatch the lipstick away from Cat. She missed as Cat kept it securely in her grasp and out of Lois' reach.

"There's something in it, yes? Something that's only activated when you wear it. I'm not sure what _specifically_ activates it while wearing it. But…" Cat stared at the tube as she spun it around and around. "It's like truth serum, right?"

Lois' eyes widened. "You know that's what it does?"

"I knew there was an ulterior motive to you making me wear this. I didn't figure it out of course until Wednesday evening. It helps you not only speak the truth, but see it. Doesn't it?"

Lois was impressed. When she'd had an encounter with this same lipstick she hadn't known what it did until after someone told her it was like being injected with a constant stream of sodium thiopental every time it was reapplied. "Yes…yes it does."

Cat hummed and extended the lipstick so Lois could take it, without her snagging it away again. Once Lois took the tube from her Cat dropped her hands to her lap, her fingers fiddling with the material of the skirt she was wearing. She couldn't bring herself to look at Lois as she asked her next question.

"Does it alter your feelings in any way?"

"No! No, it only brings them to the surface." Lois promised as she put the lipstick into a lead lined baggy that she hid inside her purse.

"So, it is safe to say that my feelings for Kara were not manipulated by that lipstick?" Cat's voice was soft as she asked the question, knowing it was foolish to pretend that she wasn't concerned with the effects the lipstick could have had on her feelings. Maybe it would make it easier if she knew her feelings were motivated by the lipstick, maybe it would make it easier on everyone. Or maybe it would just give her an appropriate excuse to hide behind if she turned around and did a complete 180, pretending not to care for Kara more than any friend would care for another friend.

Maybe Cat could pretend that she didn't fantasize about waking up next to Kara, or coming home to Kara to see the younger woman sitting at the kitchen table with Carter on her left and Kalven on her right, all three immersed in the lessons she was helping the boys with. Maybe Cat could pretend that she didn't long to find out what Kara's lips tasted like, how her body would react to her touch, what she would sound like as she came undone.

Maybe it would just be easier to lie instead of telling the truth.

"No, your feelings for Kara are real. And I'm very _very_ sorry about this all. It wasn't supposed to work that way. It was only supposed to make you tell the truth. Not recognize your own feelings. The only way that happens is if…" Lois' voice caught in her throat as she stopped her explanation in the midst of it. As if there was something keeping her from saying anything more.

Cat rolled her eyes, hadn't they gone over this already? Cat was no fool. She knew Kara was Supergirl, and she knew Clark was Superman—and damn Lois for that.

"The only way it works like that is if the person you feel them for is Kryptonian?"

Lois groaned and knocked her head back against her seat twice, "Of course you know…"

Cat rolled her eyes, she'd admitted to knowing on the phone. Granted, she had been drunk. But she had known for a long time about Kara's identity. It was only Diana's and Clarks that were news to her.

"I've known Kara's secret for almost a year. I now know Clark's and Diana's as well thanks to that lipstick, so in effect, thanks to you if you want to get technical Thanks for that story by the way." C

Lois' heart spiked and she sat up quickly, "Cat you can't tell anyone about them it would be a…"

Cat waved off Lois' concern and sudden paranoia that she would leak the heroes secret identities. "I have no desire to unmask either of them. The world needs them, and they need their alter egos. _Trust me_ , I've seen what lengths super heroes are willing to go to keep their identity secret." Cat smirked at the memory of having two Kara's standing in her office, normally that was the makings of a porno, in reality it had been a shocking revelation to the lengths Kara would go to keep her day job and keep Kara Danvers and Supergirl separate.

Lois shook her head in disbelief. "You've changed."

Cat smirked, "I would hope so." It had been almost fifteen years since she had worked closely with Lois. Fifteen years where Cat had a lot of growing up to do. She'd remarried, had another child, was divorced, had to fight for custody of her son, and she did it all while running a multi-million-dollar global media empire. She was proud of what she had been able to accomplish in the last fifteen years, and that did include changing her old ways.

Lois stayed quiet for several moments, "I may not have been completely honest when I said that it wouldn't affect your feelings."

Cat felt the pit of her stomach grow ten times its size. "How exactly was that not being _completely_ honest?!"

"Well, it does affect how you feel. But it only multiplies your actual feelings. It's the way that the chemical works. It forces you to admit the truth of your feelings to yourself, so it exponentially multiplies them until you have no choice but to accept them as truth."

Cat shifted in her seat, her muscles growing tense as she narrowed her eyes at Lois.

"Lois, I want you to be very sure about what you are saying to me right now."

Lois nodded her head slowly, unable to pretend that this wasn't all her fault.

"Is it possible that my feelings for Kara aren't real?"

Lois' nod quickly turned into her shaking her head back and forth negatively. "No. No, it just means that… _well_ you might not be as in love with her as you think you are."

Cat wanted to huff at the impossibility of that. She knew her feelings, she knew just how much she cared about Kara. This lipstick hadn't altered her feelings or made them any stronger than they had been before. The lipstick just made her more aware of it. It didn't allow her to hide behind her mask and all her 'what ifs' anymore. It forced her to face the truth of the matter. She was in love with Kara Danvers and that terrified it. But it also exhilarated her in ways that nothing else had in a very long time.

"No." Cat stated sharply, "No. I've felt this way for far too long for it to be affected by that lipstick." Cat pointed towards Lois' bag with disgust.

"Well, that's good. I'm glad that's not in question. You're kind of cute when you're in love."

Cat glared half-heartedly at Lois. "If that was all you were afraid of you wouldn't have flown to tell me in person. So what else is going on?"

Lois bit at her bottom lip, "The lipstick is made with a chemical that's only activated by Kryptonians." Lois still found it difficult to divulge Clark's secret as she'd been hiding it for years.

"Yes, as you said. But..." Cat thought about it for a moment and felt her blood run cold. "...what does it do to them?"

Lois cringed at the building anger that was hardly concealed in Cat's tone. "It's only dangerous if they come into contact with it. And I didn't think you would actually be in love with her so I didn't see the harm in you having to tell the truth for a week. It wasn't like you had any pressing tell all interviews..."

"Lois!"

"Fine. It's like, no. _It is_ red kryptonite." Red Kryptonite, why did that sound so familiar to Cat? "It affects their personality. Makes them more hostile. Less, moral, less themselves."

"Oh god..." Cats eyes widened as she recalled being thrown off of her own balcony and falling 40 stories before being caught.

Cat scrounged through her mental memory and tried to tell whether or not she had kissed Kara, even on the cheek while wearing the lipstick. She had

"Would a kiss on the cheek cause it?! Or just proximity?!" Cats eyes grew wider and wider as she thought about what she could have accidentally done to Kara and... "The boy! Kalven! He's a Kryptonian too." He had to be. He looked far too similar to Kara not to be related to her by blood. "He's, just a boy!" Cat growled deeply as she stared at her old friend. "Lois I swear to god if I hurt them because of some misguided prank..." She let the threat hang in the air, her hands gripping tightly at the edge of the leather seat beneath her to keep them from reaching across the car to throttle Lois.

The car coming to a stop as they arrived at the hotel. Her car door was opened for her a moment later and Lois was forced to follow after Cat as she stalked into the gorgeous five-star hotel and made her way right to the concierge.

"Miss Grant, how lovely to see you again. Your room has been set up exactly to your specifications and-"

"Thank you, where is my key?" Cat had no time to waste with this young kiss ass. She had to chew out Lois Lane in private, because as much as she would love to do so publicly for all the brown nosers around them to watch, the subject was too classified for them to start screaming at each other in public.

"Oh, uhm..of course!" He scrambled to grab her card key, his hand shaking as she snatched it from him.

"My son will be joining me with his nanny. Make sure there are no issues with them coming up to the room. Or my stylist and make up artist. My assistant sent the names."

"Yes, certainly. It'd be my pleasure…"

Cat barely heard his platitudes as she walked towards the elevator bank. This was the one hotel where she didn't make it a fuss about riding in their elevators. Cat wanted to take joy in the fact that Lois was bouncing on her heels appearing as nervous as Kara often did when she needed to deliver bad news. Normally, Lois had a better poker face, but Cat had to hand it to the woman. She was accepting full responsibility and bravely staying within arm's length to face the consequences of her actions.

It took longer than she would like, but they arrived to the penthouse suite, where Cat was glad to see they were alone. Once she had thrown her bag down on the couch in the large spacious open living room, she rounded on Lois.

"What were you thinking!? Of all the hair brained ideas you've had and the pranks you've pulled, Lois. I never thought you'd strike this low that you would put someone's life in danger! Kara's life! Kalven's!" Cat's voice was like shrill gravel, her eyes as hard as stone as she glared at her old time frenemy.

Cat paced back and forth, her hands twitching as she tried to calm herself down, her heart raced in her chest and tears formed in her eyes. Was she the reason Kara was acting so strangely the last few days? Had she been the cause without meaning to be? Had she been the danger Kara needed to protect Kalven against?

"Oh god…" Cat covered her mouth with her trembling hand, her back to Lois. She had kissed Kara on the cheek, the night she and Kalven had come over for dinner. But for the life of her she couldn't remember if the lipstick had been on her lips or not. "Oh god, Lois. How do you know if they've been affected?"

"Clark's already gone to see Kara and Kalven." Lois looked anxiously at her cellphone, wishing Clark would get back to her about the results. According to Lucy—who'd been enraged with her—it hadn't been easy for them to get Kara to willingly submit to the tests. It wasn't until they used Kalven's safety that she let them test her.

"And? What has he said? Is she okay? Lois!"

"I don't know. They took her in for tests this afternoon, right from CatCo. The results should be getting back soon. I just, I haven't heard from Clark since they got her to the lab."

"Well, call him!"

"I don't think—"

**"Call him**!" Cat screeched as she lunged towards Lois.

"Okay, okay!" Lois stumbled away from Cat, her cell up to her ear, Clark's contact already clicked on to call.

Cat tapped her foot anxiously as she waited for Clark to answer the phone. Her fingers were laced together in a tight hold, the tops of her fingers pressed against her lips in a position that wasn't un-similar to how one might appear when praying.

_Please….Please…_ Cat kept repeating internally. _Please let them be okay_.

**End Part Ten**


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> With everything that is going on around the CatCo offices it's finally time to see how Kara is handling all of this excitement.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the lovely response to the previous chapter! I enjoy writing Cat and Lois' interactions. But this chapter brings forth a new POV that a few readers have asked about previously. Kara's. :-) So, I hope you enjoy this chapter.   
> HUGE thanks to ShipItLikeASteamBoat for helping me with this chapter and the flow of the last few! :-D

 

* * *

**Part 11**

-.-.-.-.-.- **Earlier** -.-.-.-.-.-

Kara walked back to her office, her feet dragging upon the ground with each step. She was surprised she hadn't tripped over her own two feet at this point. She felt a heaviness weighing down on her chest that was making it hard to breathe. Everything was just so out of her control. She felt as if there was no purchase she could anchor herself to. Too much was happening at the same time.

Making it into her office Kara closed the door and slammed it closed, the wood splintering at the impact. She didn't care. She was too focused on reaching her desk chair. She needed to sit down and calm down. Her heart was racing against her chest and it was becoming harder to breathe.

A panic attack. She had been having these every few weeks since last May. It had been a hard few months. The pressures placed on her by Kalven's arrival, the nature of his identity and where he came from.

It was all very hard to fathom and even harder to accept when Alex, Eliza, Winn, and James were so quick to vocalize their disagreements. Even Clark had made it clear what he thought she should do. Clark's opinion was nothing but cruel and Kara hadn't spoken to him since he'd opened his mouth to offer it as if it were law and she had no choice but to do as he said.

Thinking of her younger cousin made her blood boil. Her eyes flashing a dangerous red for a moment as her fists curled in on themselves and her door almost suffered from her heat vision.

Kara put her head between her legs and took deep breaths as she forced her heart rate to slow.

Kara wasn't angry with Cat. She was just…upset. She was upset because Clark had called to tell her that he and Lois were coming and he had to speak with her about Cat Grant's intentions.

The idea that Clark thought he could come to National City and tell her what to do when it came to anything (Kalven, Cat, her life) angered Kara. If it weren't for Diana and Cat and Carter, Kara wasn't sure she would be doing as well as she was with everything that was happening.

The leave from CatCo was needed, but perhaps not at the best time. Kara was grateful that Cat had made a collection for her. As the letter from Hannah Grant stated, Kara had always been the one in charge of these sorts of collections since she started at CatCo three years ago. It only seemed fair that there would be one for her. The fact that Cat had spearheaded the collection probably accounted for the high dollar amount of the check. Cat probably went to every executive that Kara had helped save face one time or another in the last three years and made them empty their pockets for the collection. It was sweet, but it was just another reminder to Kara.

Another glaring fact that someone else thought she was incapable of handling herself. That she was unfit to raise Kalven because she was just a child herself. That she didn't understand the concept of money and of what it would mean to be someone's guardian.

God! Kara squeezed her fingers tightly into her palm. Did no one even realize that her whole destiny had been to take care of an infant when she was thirteen? That her parents, and Kal-El's parents, people who'd known her, her whole life (up until that point) thought she was capable of raising an infant on an alien planet!? Did no one account for her intelligence or were they so fooled by her charming demeanor to realize that she had the knowledge and intelligence of a full grown Kryptonian when she'd arrived on Earth. She knew ten languages, five of them languages of species that humans hadn't even encountered yet. On her planet she would be considered a genius—and that was saying something for a planet that had standard IQ's of 185.

It also bothered her to know that Cat was right. If it weren't for Diana and Kara's inheritance from Wayne Corp, she wouldn't be able to afford all the changes in her life. A part of her was warmed at the fact that Cat went out of her way to try and make sure she would be financially stable for the next few months. What Cat didn't know was that Kara was going to also begin making money from her 'consulting' with the DEO and Themyscira Industries.

Diana had been the only one to accept Kara's decision and support her 100% from the very beginning. Alex was second on board, but she still wasn't fully in support of Kara's choices, but in the end Kara couldn't live her life how Alex or Clark, or Winn or James wanted her to. She needed to live her life the way she saw as best. That meant having Kalven with her. Living with her, not in some stasis tube for the rest of his life.

"Uggghh…" Kara groaned into her knee loudly. Her eyes burned with unshed tears.

All she wanted to do was run back into Cat's office and have the older woman hug her. She just needed someone to wrap their arms around her and tell her everything was okay. To look at her with the confidence and assurance that Cat and Diana did.

"I think the color is a little off for you, but it isn't that bad. What do you think, James?"

Kara's head snapped up and her eyes narrowed at the two men standing in her office doorway. They were pointing to a small portable hanger set that held two dresses and a tux. Kara hadn't even seen them when she'd come in.

"Ah, yes. A gift from Cat Grant." Clark sounded displeased as he looked at the card.

Kara raced full speed around her desk and grabbed the card from him, making him take a step back at her proximity. She looked down at the small card stock with Cat's personal emblem on it. It was her personal stationary, not the type used for Corporate business. Kara stared at the card and the two dresses, both starkly different in color and yet they both matched the small tux that Kara could only imagine would fit Kalven perfectly.

Kara lost herself in her own sadness that she had taken out her frustration on Cat just a few moments before. Cat had only ever wanted to help her, to ensure that she was okay. Kara had let herself get angry because anger was easier to handle than fear. Fear that she was going to be rejected, fear that she was going to fail miserably when it came to raising Kalven, and fear that Cat was just among the masses that thought she shouldn't have anything to do with Kalven to begin with.

Kara wondered if Cat would have been so generous with the gowns if Kara had accused her of being a heartless bitch only interested in securing an employee from the competition. Because that might as well have been what she did. She called into question Cat's gestures. Gestures Kara normally would be flailing over because –finally, finally!— Cat thought she was worthy, that she was ready.

Kara had been ready for Cat to take this step with her for longer than she wanted to admit.

Attacking Cat the way she had was wrong, and Kara wished she could run into Cat's office and apologize. She'd tried, but Cat had shut down and Kara knew it would be impossible to try and do or say anything more on the subject. Cat needed time.

Time Kara was willing to give her. Kara could be patient. She _had_ been patient.

Kara looked at the dresses and her eyes narrowed in thought for a moment. Two dresses. Two distinctly different dresses—one of which matched the colors of Supergirl's supersuit.

Kara's eyes widened.   
No…  
Cat couldn't know.  
She couldn't!  
Could she?

"Woah, woah…I'm not here to fight."

"Then maybe you should leave." Kara growled, her focus turning back to her cousin and one of the real reasons she was so angry as of late. "You're not welcome here, Kal-El."

Not in a million years had she ever thought she'd hear herself say this to the cousin she would have died for not six months ago.

Clark huffed as if he didn't believe Kara was serious.

"I made that very clear. National City is _**my**_ city. You are not to come unless invited." Kara put emphasis on her claiming of National City. This was her safe place. This city was where she could escape his disapproving looks and his holier than thou snippets of wisdom.

"This is important business." Clark held himself upright, imposing, his chest out and eyes hard, he exuded his Superman persona. But his commanding tone did nothing to her. He might think of himself as the elder in this situation, but he was still the younger of the two and _she_ was the head of their house by Kryptonian law.

"Then you should have reached out through the DEO and waited for me to contact you there. You coming here makes it personal. And personally, I don't want to see or hear from you."

James stepped between the two cousins, hands up to try and placate them both. "Okay, I know that there's some bad blood, but Kara. Come on, this is…"

"Don't you think I know who this is…" Kara pointed towards Kal. "Do not presume to understand any of this James. You _know nothing_ …."

"That's because you won't tell me!" James practically whined. "You just shut down on me. On everyone!"

"Why should I tell you anything?! You've made it very clear who you'll side with no matter the facts of the situation." Kara accused, her eyes hard as she looked at her ex-boyfriend.

Kara turned her back on both men and cradled the note from Cat against her chest. She wanted nothing more than to read it, but she would not do so until James and Clark had left.

"That's not fair and you know it." James sighed, arms crossing over his chest in defiance.

"Oh, it's plenty fair." Kara spit at him, rolling her eyes at the sight of both James and Clark mirroring each other in pose. "Now, if you'll excuse us. Clark has important business to discuss with me."

Clark put his hand on James' shoulder. "James can stay; he's just as involved in this as anyone."

"Why, because you say so?" Kara asked.

"Yes."

Kara leaning back at Clark's words but wasn't surprised by them. "Fine. Explain away." Kara threw her hands up in the air and moved towards her desk. She sat on the edge of it and waited for Clark to explain himself. She refused to cross her arms over her chest and mimic them, so she rested her hands on the edge of her desk and allowed herself to channel Cat Grant. Her confidence and assurance that she was in the right and she held all the cards rolling off of her in waves, filling the entire room with the knowledge that she was in charge here. No matter what Clark and James would like to think.

"You're being affected by Red Kryptonite. We need to get you to the DEO and have it withdrawn from your blood stream. Once it's out of your system you'll see how foolish you've been and we can fix everything." Clark walked slowly across the room and put his hand on Kara's shoulder in what was supposed to be a reassuring gesture. "I promise. Let me take care of you, Kara. You need help."

"Red Kryptonite? You think I'm being affected by red kryptonite?" Kara asked, eyes wide as she looked between James and Clark. Both men nodded their heads.

"It would explain your mood swings lately." James supplied, "When Clark told me, I realized I should have known sooner. I'm so sorry I didn't catch on Kara. I was just trying to give you the space you wanted and…"

"Stop. Stop." Kara rolled her shoulder and made Clark drop his hand from its perch. "I'm not being affected by red kryptonite. I'm not being affected by anything supernatural. What, because I'm speaking my mind and making decisions against what everyone else thinks is best for me I'm being affected by red kryptonite?"

"Deciding to romantically entangle yourself with Cat Grant. When James is far better suited for you!"

"Clark! That's not cool." James quickly asserted, he'd known of Kara's crush on Cat from the very beginning of their friendship and their very short relationship. "Kara and I just don't fit like that. We're better friends." James met Kara's eyes and tried to issue his apology for Clark's words without having to say them aloud.

Kara heard them, loud and clear, but she couldn't help but laugh. Laugh, because she was finally going to lose it. She was going to snap and she was going to kill the cousin she'd been sent here to protect.

"The two of you need to leave. Now." Kara shook her head, walking around her desk to put more distance between herself and Clark. "I cannot believe you would actually go this far Clark. Really. As if what you did in Metropolis wasn't low enough. This, this is new, even for you."

Clark grimaced and glared at Kara as she walked away from him. "Lois sent Cat a tube of red kryptonite lipstick. The materials in it act like a truth serum for humans when it is absorbed into their blood stream and activated by close proximity for a Kryptonian. You ARE being affected by red kryptonite, and we need to get you to the DEO for treatment. Now."

"Lois did what!?" Kara screeched, suddenly stopping short as she turned to stare at Clark with wide eyes. "What else does it do to humans?" Kara forgot for a moment that Clark could actually be right and she could be under the influence of red kryptonite. Kara knew the effects of Red K. She'd felt them before and she felt nothing like that. She was overwhelmed with emotion but she wasn't looking to cause anyone any trouble. She wasn't about to trash the city and make the people despise her again.

"It causes them to become infatuated— _with_ Kryptonians."

Kara felt like she'd been sucker punched. The sight of the flowers on the side table to the left of her office and the dresses and tux to the left spoke of infatuation. They spoke of desirous intentions. And they'd all been given in the last two days.

"How long has Cat been using this lipstick?" Because Clark wouldn't be here if Cat hadn't used the lipstick already.

"A week, tomorrow."

Kara felt herself slipping. It was only Clark's arms around her hips that kept her from sinking to the floor in a heap. Kara pressed the bottom of her palms against her eyes and sucked in three sharp breaths to keep from crying.

James frowned as he watched Kara valiantly keep herself from breaking down.

"It wasn't real...it wasn't real..." Kara whispered over and over again each repetition growing more and more emotional till the very sound of her voice hurt with the raw pain it leeched.

When Kara had mourned enough to pull herself together she extracted herself from Clark's arms. "I need to pick up Kalven."

"Now isn't the time to worry about the boy, Kara. We need to focus on you."

Kara's anger was quick to come back to life. Anger was easier to feel then heartbreak, and Clark just kept making himself an easy target.

"If I've been effected by Red K I could have infected him without knowing. He'll need to be examined as well. And trust me, I would normally do anything to keep him away from those salivating scientists at the DEO, but I need to know he's okay. So get on board or get out. Thank you for the warning. Tell your wife she's disinvited to all personal social functions-forever." Lois had to be out of her mind to send that volatile chemical anywhere near Kalven, Kara, and Cat.

"This isn't her fault!"

"You, did you just?!" Kara raced forward and thrust her forearm against Clark's chest, shoving him so hard she had to fly to keep up with him so she could push him against the wall. Her teeth gnarled as she held him against the wall tightly. "She willingly sent Red K to my boss! To a woman I see every day! To someone who could infect _**me…**_ _AND MY SON_!" Kara screamed the last part, eyes liquid fire as her lasers were barely contained. Kara shoved Clark harder into the wall before backing up, her hands shaking with how furious she was.

"He isn't your-" Clark was silenced by the slap that rang out through the room, his head actually swishing to one side as Kara stared at him, her hand still in the air from where she'd hit him.

"You need to leave. _Now_. Fly home to Metropolis." Kara was the picture of cam fury. "Stay far far away from me Clark. Because if I see you again, I will make you regret the way you've turned your back on family!"

Clark opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but James intervened. "Come on, I'll show you out. Come on!" James insisted as he tugged on Clark's arm, knowing his friend wouldn't move unless he wanted to.

Kara had already turned her back on Clark, her hand still shaking as she tried not to break her delicate cellphone.

"Alex. I'm coming into the DEO. Has Clark told you? No, oh Lois did. Good. I'll be at the DEO in the hour. I just need to pick up Kalven. Yes, I'm afraid he might have been infected if I am. No. I feel fine. Furious and ready to kill my ungrateful baby cousin, but other than that." Kara said it knowing Clark would be able to hear her.

"How are you otherwise? I'm sorry he just showed up. We'll talk to him about that." Alex promised over the phone.

"Scared. And tired. And I won't stop Hank from giving him a smack down. The ass needs one."

Alex sighed, "What'd he say this time? You know what. Don't tell me. I'm surrounded by kryptonite weapons. I won't be responsible for my actions if he's so much as threatened a hair on Kalven's head."

Kara found herself smiling softly at the protective streak in Alex for Kalven. It was new, and it warmed her heart. Finally, they were starting to accept Kalven. It had only taken five months.

"We'll be there soon." Kara promised.

"Good. Love you, Kar."

"Love you too, Alex."

Alex could hear how tense Kara was, and she couldn't help but be worried. Ever since Kara's trip to Metropolis after Kalven, things had been different. Alex could freely admit she was part of the problem, but she'd come around. She'd come around a hell of a lot faster than Clark, and yet again, Clark was the biggest issue they had to face as a family. "Don't worry. We'll figure this all out. I promise."

Kara hung up and left CatCo, hoping, truly hoping, that Alex was right. As she made her way to the roof-she'd fly to get Kalven and then change-she needed to make one more call.

As she flew over National City the phone rang, and rang and...

"Karalena..."

Kara sighed with relief, "Diana. It's about Kalven. We need you."

**End Part 11**


	12. Shit Hits the Fan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The truth about Kalven is revealed as are Clark's true intentions.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! I'm sorry this chapter took so long. I hope that with the holiday season coming to an end I will have more time to dedicate to writing. I have several stories on the work table right now that will hopefully all be posted in 2017. Most SuperCat and maybe one SuperCorp.
> 
> I hope that you'll enjoy this chapter. I would like to thank Shipitlikeasteamboat for their constant assistance with this story and all of my others. IT is truly appreciated. Yet, please understand all mistakes are my own.
> 
> I hope everyone has a happy, joyous, and healthy Holiday Season/New Year!

 

* * *

**Part 12**

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lois sighed heavily when she got Clark's voicemail again. Glaring at her phone she went through her contacts and found Lucy's number.

It took four rings, but it was finally answered.

"Lois, this isn't the best time." Lucy answered, and Lois couldn't help but smile because someone had finally answered her calls.

"Wait, please don't hang up. I can't get in touch with Clark."

"Lois. I _cannot_ talk right now."

"Please. Lucy. I'm standing in front of Cat and she's about to murder me unless I can tell her Kara and Kalven are okay. Please…" Lois begged, eyes wild with her desperation.

Lucy growled into the phone, it sounded like she was pressing it against her chest, because it was distorted but Lois could still make out the sounds of an argument in the background.

"Put it on speaker phone."

"What?"

"Speaker phone!" Cat went to reach for the phone but Lois beat her to it and pressed the speakerphone button and held the phone out between them. The two women huddling close to try and make out what was being said in the background.

"Superman, Superman..! Woah, wait. Wonder Woman put down the sword! There is no need for this. You three need to calm down. Right now!" There were loud pops sounding through the phone that almost sounded like metal hitting metal.

"Damn it, Supergirl let him go! He's an ass but you can't kill him!"

Lois and Cat remained stock still at that particular order. Cat felt her face paling, sure now more than ever that Kara had been under the influence of Red K because of her.

This was all her fault.  
She had put Kara in danger.  
She had put Kalven at risk.

Cat felt her heart stutter in her chest, she should have stopped when she realized the lipstick was doing something to her. Gods, she never should have taken the bet to begin with.

Lois Lane never should have sent the lipstick to begin with!

"Do not make me restrain the three of you!"  
"Kara, Kara stop!" That was Alex's voice.

Then both Lucy and Alex groaned and muffled apologies were spoken between the two (as if they were trying to get off one another after being pushed/tossed together).

"Stop. Now!"

Lois' eyebrows rose at the sound of her sister's authoritative voice and the muffled groaning and crash/bangs in the background.

"For Gods sakes, Diana. Be reasonable!"  
"Clark, do not make me shoot you!"

There was a loud whistle and then two more crashes and Alex's disembodied voice saying: "Vasquez! Are you alright?"

"What in the world is going on over there, Lucy?" Cat asked, eyes wide as her mind conjured horrible images of the three super heroes fighting each other with human government agents in the way. Which was essentially exactly what was happening. What surprised Cat the most was that most of the orders were directed at Diana and Clark. If Kara was affected by the Red K why would the government agents be trying to stop Diana and Clark from subduing her?

Was it possible for Kara to have infected Clark just by being in close proximity? Could Diana even be affected by Red Kryptonite?

Cat felt dizzy with all of the unanswered questions she had.

"Lucy Lauraline Lane, if you do not answer me this instant I am going to release who is truly responsible for Red Tornado!" Cat threatened, her hands shaking at her side as she tried in vain to squeeze them together to stop the trembling.

Lois eyes slid to Cat, a part of her mind wondering just who WAS responsible for Red Tornado if it was prized blackmail material that Cat would use now, when she was desperate for answers and reassurances. It was something to keep locked away for another time. There were more important things to be worried about.

Lucy came back onto the line, out of breath and sounding as stressed as the rest of them. "As I was saying, Lois. Now, _**really**_ , isn't the time."

"What happened? Is Kara and Kalven alright? Please, Lucy." Cat's voice broke. "Are they safe? Are they hurt? What is happening. Please…I need to know if I did this. Did I hurt them? AM I responsible for this?"

No, Lois thought, her chest aching at the broken pleas Cat was speaking into the small speaker of her cellphone, all her hopes and needs connected directly with the answers about to follow.

"Cat? Oh, uhm. Hi. Uh…no. No, Cat. You didn't do this." There was an accusing tone in Lucy's voice, one Lois knew was directed at her. "It was a false alarm. Kara and Kalven tested negative for Red K. You didn't infect them. They're both..." Lucy hesitated. "They'll be okay."

Cat left like she could slip right through the floor, her body nothing more than translucent air. She felt her eyes burn and her breathing hitch in her chest, her hands trembling a new with the news that they were okay. Kara and Kalven were alright, she hadn't infected them. She knew, she knew that there was more to the story, but right now she let the relief wash over her that she wasn't the cause of what was bothering the superheroes.

Alex's voice sounded on the phone, her tone deep and deadly. "Lois, I expect that lipstick tube in my possession before the end of the night."

"You'll have it." Lois promised, feeling an incredible weight come off her shoulders. She had been stupid and she deserved the anger of everyone involved, but at least Kalven and Kara weren't affected by the element. There was something to be said about small miracles.

As Lois looked at Cat she realized that Cat was going to fall flat on her ass if it weren't for the back of the couch she leaned on.

"Oh thank you. Thank you…" Cat whispered, ducking her head between her knees at the sudden rush of excitement that beat back the worried stress which caused an extreme nauseous reaction.

"Look, I can't talk right now. So, if that's it. I've got to go."

"No, wait. Put Clark on the phone!"

"Lois…!" Lucy whined, but groaned and did as her sister asked. "Here…hang on. He's cuffed at the moment."

"Cuffed?!" Lois shrieked, causing Cat to cringe as she looked to Lois and then focused on her breathing and not throwing up all over her designer shoes.

"It's your wife." Lucy stated, her tone nothing but impatient. "Hold it with your shoulder. I'm not uncuffing you. You're lucky you're not in a cell right now with what you tried to pull."

"A cell? Lucy, what's going on?" Nothing. "Clark? Clark Kent…what did _you do_!?"

"Hey Lois…" Clark sighed, glaring at Lucy as she remained close enough to hold the phone for him since he couldn't seem to keep it between his shoulder blade and his cheek.

"Don't you farm boy charm me. What did you do?!"

"There was a misunderstanding."

Lucy huffed, pulling the phone away from her brother in law. "He was in the midst of kidnapping Kalven when he got his ass kicked by two enraged mama bears."

Cat snapped her head up to look at Lois, two enraged mama bears? Who was the second? Diana? Hadn't that been who was fighting? Clark, Diana and Kara?

"Damn it, Luce. Give him the phone."

When there was silence for a few moments Lois unleashed her anger. "You idiot! You promised you weren't going to do anything stupid."

"But-"

"No! No. You will not. And _cannot_ justify kidnapping. Ever. You are sooo hair brained. What did you think was going to happen?! They can't just let you go now! You tried to kidnap a child! A _child_ Clark!"

"He's part mine! It's not kidnapping when-"

"You bastard! You've wanted nothing to do with him. You want to stick him in a stasis tube and pretend that he doesn't exist! You have no rights. You have _**NOO**_ rights to my son!" Kara screamed, her voice sounded far away. Like the phone had been dropped as she tried to strangle Clark, who was gagging and gasping for breath.

"No. Let me go. Let me go. He was going to stick him in a stasis tube and hide him. He wasn't just going to kidnap him. He was going to kill him! Keep him alive but stuck for eternity in that pod!" Kara sobbed, screaming her rage over Clark's actions for all the hear—which included both Lois and Cat. "No...! No. Let go of me!" Kara screamed as someone strong enough to hold her back did just that.

Cat felt her lungs seize in her chest as she stared open mouthed at Lois and the phone she held with white knuckled fingers. Kalven was Kara's son. How. How….Kara hadn't been gone long enough to have a child when she was in Metropolis as Supergirl. Cat would have noticed. There was no way she wouldn't have noticed if Kara was suddenly gaining weight. There were too many signs that Cat would have had to miss and she knew, in her heart of hearts, that she would have known. She watched Kara far too closely not to know.

So how, how was Kalven her son? It didn't matter. Not to Cat, how Kalven came to be. Just as it didn't matter to Kara. Kalven was her son, and that, as well as his safety and health, were all that mattered.

Now, Kara's irritability with her family over her decision to take care of Kalven made more sense. Kara had to be under incredible stress if her own cousin—who had somehow contributed DNA to Kalven—wanted to erase him from existence. That was several steps beyond 'disapproving'.

"He's not your son! He's a clone, Kara. He was _made_! He wasn't born. He's not natural. He's _not_ yours. Just like he's not _mine_. He's **no ones**! Why can't you just listen to me...clones aren't. They aren't _good_ , Kara! They have no sou-unpght ugh...uft..."

"Diana! Diana! Stop! That's enough!" Lucy ordered but Hank was already busy holding back Kara and there weren't any other super powered individuals in this bunker to hold Diana back as she landed blow after blow after blow to Clark's face and abdomen.

"Diana! You'll kill him! Stop!" Lucy yelled, panicking when she saw how Clark had stopped responding to the attack. He was just on the ground with Diana on top of him, her fiats reigning down blow after blow, and shit! There was blood.

"Hank!" Alex ran over to Kara and wrapped her arms around her sister, knowing Kara wouldn't throw her off to kill Clark. Hank took that chance to tackle Diana off of Clark, the two ended up wrestling upon the ground, the electrical fizz in the air crackling as they broke through the dais in the center of the room.

"Clark? Clark can you hear me? Clark?!" Lucy sounded panicked and closer to the phone now. "Vasquez! Get medical!"

"Clark?! Lucy...Lucy what's...hello? Lucy?!" Lois stared at the silent phone in her hand, the line dead. Lois took in three long lung-fulls of air to keep herself calm.

Lois then went and sat beside Cat, both their backs against the couch. For a moment Cat said nothing-though her mind was reeling with everything she'd learned. Or thought she'd just learned about Kalven. Although Cat could not begin to rightly express her anger towards Lois, she still offered the woman a small amount of comfort by resting her hand on her knee and squeezing it.

They'd been in a similar position, way back when, when they'd both thought the worst had happened and Superman had been defeated. This time they weren't worried because of DoomsDay but because of Wonder Woman and Supergirl, who by all accounts were in their right minds, and willingly attacked their comrade.

When enough time had passed, Cat turned her head so she could stare at Lois. The woman seemed calm, but Cat knew she was internally screaming and clawing at her very sanity and self-control, trying to break free.

"Kalven is Clark and Kara's clone?"

Lois nodded, her movements sluggish as if she was in shock. "And Diana's."

"Who cloned them?" Cat's eyes were wide with shock and disbelief. But she took what Lois said as fact. As unbelievable as it seemed. The woman was far too gone to lie.

"Lex Luther."

"Lex Luther, I thought he was in prison!"

"His clone was. Now the real Luther is dead." Lois didn't even blink, she stared ahead as she relayed the information. "There were other clones but Kalven was the only one the Justice League could save. The others were..." Lois' eyes misted over for a moment as her voice caught in her throat. "They had already died."

Cat wondered if her eyes would remain permanently wide, perhaps giving herself cat eyes and just another reason for others to crack a joke at her expense. "How many were there?" Cat's voice was soft as her heart ached for the lost lives.

Lois shrugged, the first true movement the woman had made since they began their conversation. "I don't know. They found twenty trials. But there had been others. We can only prove there were twenty though." Lois swallowed down the bile that rose as she thought of all the innocent lives that had been lost, that hadn't had a chance to truly live outside the walls of a lab. "The files say many of them were long dead. Others had just died the day before." Lois blinked, remembering the haunted look in Kara and Clark's eyes after that mission. All members of the Justice League had needed time to recover after that mission. It wasn't a surprise that Luther had finally met his maker, not after the atrocities they uncovered.

"There were clones of them all. Mixtures of all members of the Justice League. The only ones that ever lasted longer than the first phase of testing were those with Diana or Kara's blood. Lex collected the newer samples and copied the process used with Doomsday. You remember Doomsday, yes?" Both women shuttered in remembrance of that dark time in Metropolis, of the fallen hero who'd saved them all. "It was...there were so many, Cat. And almost all of them were created using Kara's blood. Something about her blood having active red sun radiation in it making it more viable, more valuable." Lois didn't truly understand the science as much as she probably should, but essentially the Kryptonian cells were easier to use as they were fresher, had more red sun radiation, and were the best for the cloning process because the original process was a Kryptonian science.

"Kalven was the only one to survive?" Cat was slowly starting to understand why Kara was so determined to take care of Kalven, and to do it on her own. She obviously didn't have the support of Superman or the Justice League, well, most…of the Justice League. Wonder Woman seemed invested in Kalven, far more than Cat had ever suspected.

Kara's desire to keep Kalven didn't surprise Cat, and it shouldn't have surprised Clark either. If it had, Cat had to wonder just how much Clark knew about his 'younger' cousin. Kara would never abandon a child with her DNA, whether she gave birth to him or he was created without her knowledge or consent.

Lois nodded stiffly in answer.

The math wasn't adding up. If this all happened five months ago, how old was Kalven really? "How old was he five months ago?"

"Five months ago Kalven was still a toddler—two or three maybe. They kept him in the maturation tube to help him heal after the surgeries and transfusions that kept him alive. He only left the maturation tube a month ago and he's about nine now."

The time table matched. Kara had returned to National City for the last few months in preparation for Kalven's arrival. She made sure there was a decent cover—court trouble with the adoption—and ensured that she would be free to help Kalven settle into his new life with her. Cat had to wonder though, did Kara's leave from CatCo also mean Supergirl was going to be taking a vacation as well?

"My god…" Cat leaned back heavily, the couch moving a bit at the added weight. She closed her eyes and pressed her fingers into her temple to try and relieve the pressure that had built up there. "Kalven is Kara's son." Cat finally said it out loud, trying to accept the information rather than just understand it.

"Technically he's her clone with a few other samples of DNA, but yes, a high percentage of Kalven's genetic makeup is Kara. So, she can be considered his mother."

"What's high?" Cat's voice edged, wondering just how much of Kalven's DNA was contributed from Diana and Clark.

"Seventy percent."

"And Clark and Diana's?"

"Twenty-five percent Diana, five Clark. It's why Kara was even allowed to take custody of Kalven, to decide his fate. There aren't exactly rules for these sorts of things, no laws. She had to legally adopt him and it's caused some trouble. Many of the members of The Justice League didn't want to even let Kalven have the surgeries that helped save him, especially not the transfusions."

"What do you mean transfusions?" Why would he need surgeries and transfusions to begin with? He had the DNA of three of the strongest super heroes on this planet, what could hurt him enough to make him need surgery?

"Kara and Diana each donated blood and transfused their blood to help Kalven live. He was very sick. The experiments that helped create him weren't…humane." Lois shuddered at the memory of learning just what experiments had been run on the poor boy from the day he had been 'born'. "Lex didn't want a human clone. He wanted a super soldier, like Doomsday. But immune to kryptonite thanks to Diana's blood. Kalven was more mutant-ish monster than human five months ago. But with the transfusions from Kara and Diana, it altered his DNA. The DNA he was originally created from was fractured and recycled so often from the original sample it made sense that a new dose of their blood would help."

Lois spouted off the science behind Kalven's survival as she could recall them all. She'd spoken at length with Bruce, Diana, and Barry. She'd needed to understand why Clark was so angry over the situation, why he was so resolute in his decision that Kara shouldn't be allowed anywhere near Kalven.

"As we both heard…" Lois lifted her phone and twisted it about in the air, "Clark has a very strong opinion on the matter. He doesn't recognize Kalven as Kara's son. He just sees another danger, another clone that will try and destroy everything."

"Like Doomsday."

"Yes," Lois sighed heavily and pulled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin there. Clark's fear that Kalven was going to just be a soul-less intelligent child version of Doomsday haunted his nightmares. But his fears were just that, fears and sadly unfounded. Since the transfusions Kalven had been nothing but innocent and 'human' even though he was seventy five percent Kryptonian.

"He's just afraid that Kalven will hurt Kara. That he'll turn on her, and she'll love Kalven enough at that point to let him kill her."

Cat didn't say it, but she suspected that Kara loved Kalven that much already. She would never raise a hand to hurt that boy.

"That doesn't make him trying to _kidnap_ him, right." Cat had to say, because from what they heard, it wasn't even just kidnapping that Clark had tried to commit, but attempted murder. Of a child, all because he was afraid of the future.

"No…" Lois sighed heavily and finally turned to look at Cat. "It doesn't. I'm not defending his actions—or my own—I just don't know what to do about it, Cat. He's so stubborn when it comes to this, he won't see reason."

"Maybe he needs to see them together. To see just how precious Kalven is. How innocent." Cat shook her head, "He's such a sweet little boy. A little boy who'd never had an ice-cream cone until the other day." Cat feels her throat start to clog up with her emotions, her eyes misting with unshed tears. "If Lane has to lock up Clark to ensure Kalven's safety…" Cat left the sentence hanging, unwilling to finish it with the threat that lay at the tip of her tongue. "Kara and Diana have chosen their side. Clark has chosen his. Now it's time for him to leave National City and sulk somewhere he can't hurt them, again."

Cat had yet to process just what Diana's relationship with Kalven was going to be if she returned to Metropolis, but those thoughts were left for another time. A time where she could truly devote enough mental strain on the new equation she found herself in the midst of.

Kara (Kalven + Diana) + Cat (Carter + Adam) = Unknown

With Diana now in the role of biological mother, currently in love with Kalven's other biological mother, where did that leave Cat? Should she gracefully bow out and allow the three to make one happy super hero family? Or should she fight for Kara, as she had finally decided to? What was the right thing to do now? Was there even a right or wrong action to take?

*BANG*BANG*BANG*BANG*

Cat and Lois' head shot towards the door to the suite.

"Mom! The bolt is on." Carter called from the other side of the door.

Cat stood and offered her hand to the frazzled elder Lane.

"Not a word about this to Carter."

Lois mimed locking her lips, her eyes softening a bit as she watched how quickly Cat's demeanor changed as she went to let her son into the suite.

The second the door opened Carter rushed into his mother's arms and hugged her tightly. Cat held on just a bit tighter than usual and kissed the top of Carter's head. She refused to let the tears fall when they formed. It would only worry Carter.

"What's wrong?" Carter asked, his eyes scrunched and the line of worry formed across his brow. "Are you okay? Why do you look so sad?"

"That's my fault, squirt. You know how I sometimes can't help myself and make your mother cry with how gorgeous I am." Lois interrupted, causing Carter's eyes to widen as he looked around his mother's side and saw Lois standing in the midst of the hotel suite.

"Aunt Lois!" Carter didn't run to Lois, but he did stumble in his hurry to say hello. His hug was much faster with Lois then it had been with his mom, and he was quickly back at his mother's side after greeting his god mother. "Are you here for the Gala as well?"

Lois and Cat's eyes both widened at the same time. During the drama that had unfolded they had (almost) forgotten about the Gala taking place in less than four hours.

"You bet. I wouldn't miss this. I hear it's going to be the party of the decade." Lois offered with a bright—somewhat reassuring smile—as she met Cat's eyes. "There's just something I have to take care of first. But I'll see you both there."

"Promise?" Carter asked, seemingly excited to have his godmother back in town. Even if he was curious to know what had really happened between his mother and her on again off again friend.

"I promise I will do my best to be there."

Carter's smile faltered, but didn't fall away completely. He knew his aunt well enough to know what that non-committal promise meant. "Be careful."

"You must have gotten your smarts from your father."

Cat rolled her eyes and huffed good naturedly at the dig.

"No…" Carter giggled as Lois shook her head at just how perceptive and intelligent Carter Grant was. She ran her fingers through Carter's hair, messing up the curls as he giggled and pulled back, trying to fix it as soon as her fingers weren't causing a mess.

"Oh yeah. No way your mom is as smart as you."

"She's smarter. Except with science. But she's the best with math!" Carter gushed, feeling his mom squeeze his shoulder and keep him close as Lois walked around them.

"Math-really? Well that's a bit surprising." Lois winked at Cat as she walked towards the door. "I'll be in touch. If I don't end up finding you two tonight, have a fun time!"

"We will." Carter promised, as Cat stared at Lois her eyes narrowed, her worry evident.

"Do be careful and keep yourself out of trouble. I may be the most powerful woman in this city but even I will have trouble bailing you out before midnight."

"Wouldn't want you to miss your Princess or Flying Crusader tonight at the ball, would we?" Lois chuckled as Carter stared at his mom with a questioning eyebrow raise and Cat glared at her.

"What does she mean, mom?"

 _Thanks for that Lane,_ Cat thought as Lois closed the door behind her and disappeared. Cat couldn't very well focus on what trouble Lois was going to get herself into in her mission to save Clark she had a very impatient—and intelligent—son to talk to about her intentions with Kara and/or Supergirl.

**End Chapter 12**


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